THE HITTITE ROAD
Passing through the ancient cities of the Hittites that dazzle the world with their splendid history, the Hittite Road offers its visitors samples of the cultural mosaic it holds and the surprising natural beauties of the Central Anatolian geography.
Passing through the ancient cities of the Hittites that dazzle the world with their splendid history, the Hittite Road offers its visitors samples of the cultural mosaic it holds and the surprising natural beauties of the Central Anatolian geography.
To take leave… To go back to the instances when time was reset, and an all-out tranquility reigned, leaving aside the trepidation of having to make it to a place, taking notice of details, walking and becoming one with nature, without any time constraints, hours on end… All of these emotions are among the things we often dream of as we work in the megacities dealing with the everyday hubbub. Whilst working, missing the tranquility we imagine the prairies and the mountains to hold, we try to find the chance to run to the bosom of nature. This time we will not be making a suggestion like “Enjoy the sea and the sun.” On the contrary, this time we are going to talk about a walk which requires spending quite an effort, and displaying mighty willpower and prowess. We will explore nature closely once again, relax psychologically, discharge emotionally as our bodies function in health, and whilst testing our endurance, we’ll also get to know our body better. Meanwhile, thanks to the trekking trails developed with the notion of “cultural excursion” in mind, today it is so much easier to discover more about the cultures of various regions, and to visit mysterious historical places. On this route, you can explore cities of antiquity, remains of monuments, architectural styles, extraordinary landscapes, and wildlife facing extinction.
Yazılıkaya, Alacahöyük, Sapinuwa…
The Hittites were one of the most important civilizations that inhabited Anatolia, the cradle of ancient civilizations. They were people that lived, coalesced, were influenced, and became one with the Hattians that set up an advanced civilization in Anatolia around 2500-1750 BC. They first become a “beylik” and then established a kingdom that turned into a huge empire.
The Hittite Road, which we
31 parkur, 385 kilometre
Hitit Yolu, Anadolu’nun zengin tarihî ve kültürel miraslarından birini doğaseverlerle buluşturuyor. UNESCO Dünya Mirası Listesi’nde bulunan
Hattuşa, Berlin’deki Pergamon Müzesi’nden geri getirilen Boğazkale recommend to nature lovers, extends through the Çorum provincial border covering the expanse of the homeland of the Hittites who established the first city-state in Anatolia. Covered with lush green forests to the north and steppes to the south, Çorum province boasts a privileged geography that colors the arid soil of Central Anatolia with the lush forests of the Black Sea. The mountain slopes that windingly climb, the fields that draw geometric patterns with crops, intermittent hills covered with trees, and the undulant valleys very few see at ground level form the topography of Çorum.
The most important remains left by the Hittites, whose civilization extended from Central Anatolia to Mesopotamia, remain within the provincial borders of Çorum. Some of these unique historical places include Hattusha, the Hittite capital admitted to the UNESCO World Heritage List; the sacred Yazılıkaya (“Inscribed Rock”) where ceremonies to celebrate fertility and the New Year were held in spring; Alacahöyük, dating back to the Bronze
Age; and Sapinuwa, a military and religious center due to its geographically strategic position. A rich heritage consisting of countless cities, rock reliefs, and archeological findings was left behind by the Hittites that were ruled with a theocratic monarchy. The Hittites that employed cuneiform and hieroglyphs for writing on clay tablets, left behind artistically advanced artifacts and ruled based on a federative structure with a city-state organization. They are also behind the first treaty in the history of humanity: the Treaty of Kadesh.
31 trekking trails, 385 kilometers
The Hittite Road introduces one of the rich historical and cultural heritages of Anatolia:
Hattusha, admitted to the UNESCO World Heritage List; the Boğazköy Sphinx brought back from the Pergamon Museum in Berlin; Çorum, Alacahöyük, and Boğazkale museums, some of the first modern museums of Turkey; İncesu Cybele rock relief, one of the biggest mother goddess reliefs found on the Anatolian Peninsula; Gölpınar Dam, one of the first dams of antiquity; İncesu Castle; Gerdek Rock Tombs; Kalehisar and Behramşah Religious Complexes… Along these unmatched historical sites, the trekkers who opt for the Hittite Road can also explore natural wonders like the İncesu Canyon, which boasts Turkey’s longest wooden walking platform passing through a canyon; Alaca Brook Valley; and Alaca Evci, Çatak, Soğucak, and Kızılhamza lagoons. Another important feature of the area is that it houses the first “Accessible Trekking Trail for the Disabled.”
The Hittite Road was formed by using the old migratory routes and caravan itineraries. Thirty-one trails cover the 236-kilometer-long marked route, and reach 385 kilometers with alternative itineraries. The total length of the six mountain bike trails is around 406 kilometers. Like their counterparts across our country, they are marked with red and white stripes, yellow and green signposts, detailed maps, and GPS coordinates. The trails of the Hittite Road consist of three sections: daily, short, and long.
The Boğazkale-HattushaSapinuwa, Alacahöyük-AlacaSapinuwa, and BoğazkaleAlacahöyük trails make up the backbone of the courses. The Alaca Brook valley and the Incesu Canyon formed by the Çekerek (Scylax) River flowing through an almost 14-kilometer-long strait contain alternative courses. The Hittite Road contains trekking trails that are not too challenging and that everyone can enjoy. There aren’t many heights between the start
and end points to challenge visitors. The highest point of the trekking trails, which generally range at altitudes of 1,000-1,200 meters, passes from a spot close to the İbikçam village at 1,360 meters.
In pursuit of the Sun Disk
Culture tourism arises from the curiosity and the need to explore new things. If you want to explore new terrain, just like breadcrumbs help finding the way in fairy tales, you can follow the red and white signs, and take off after the Hittite civilization and the Sun Disk, considered to be a symbol of the arts, trailing through the impressive nature of Çorum. If you start to trace the trails in the spring months we are experiencing nowadays, you will bear witness to bees and butterflies fluttering gleefully among flowers.
What do you say to following the red and white marks of the Hittite Road and seeing places that will give you the chance to ease your mind burdened by mundane troubles and to broaden your horizons?