What do we know about Ankara? Most of the tourists, when they land in Turkey, immediately hurry to pet cats, which rest on the terracotta streets of Istanbul. However, the real capital of Turkey is Ankara. This city is no less hot than the beaches of Anatolia and also no less colorful than the markets of Istanbul. The history of Ankara combines culture, relaxation and strictness and primness of the administrative center and a large megacity. The city is full of museums and high minarets. However, there is something even more fascinating – the Yazılıkaya Sanctuary.

The name of the place sounds like a spell, doesn’t it? It seems that if you decipher all the paintings and writings made on the walls of the sanctuary, something magical will happen. The Yazılıkaya Sanctuary is an incredible place. According to the approximate calculations, the temple appeared in 1500 BC, and its bas-reliefs are even older. Probably the temple and the bas-reliefs were made by the Hittites. Long ago, there was a temple, where the Hittites probably stored their leaders’ urns. Nowadays these are ruins. The open-air complex. Only the foundation and two galleries are left from the former gates, the temple and other buildings.

Pay attention to the ruins as almost every stone is a masterpiece of the ancient Hittites' art. On every piece of the ancient temple, there are pictures of men, women, gods and goddesses.

Only two galleries of the complex – a small and a big one – survived till this day. On the walls of the big gallery, there are bas-reliefs that depict gods and goddesses. They are placed on the opposite walls symbolizing the separation of men and women.

If you go a bit further, to the small gallery, you will see two sphinxes. To get inside you do not need to solve a riddle. Scientists are sure that the small gallery is the temple of King Tudhaliya. They say that this is the place where the remains of the ruler and his family are stored. Along with the dust of the dead, their favorite things were also brought to the tomb.