An Ideal Hiking Spot: Mount Nemrut

Mount Nemrut is a mysterious mountaintop tomb scattered with stone heads that is one of Turkey's most stunning ancient attractions. It's a UNESCO World Heritage Site known in Turkish as Nemrut Da or Nemrut Dai, and it's still one of my favorite spots I've seen on my travels. Due to its distant location deep in the heart of Central Anatolia, it is not the most accessible site to visit, but those who make the long journey to see it will be rewarded with haunting sunsets and sunrises over its stone sculptures and 'throne of the gods.'

The term 'Nemrut Dağı' is Turkish for Mount Nimrod (Mount Nemrut), and it refers to both the mountain and the great historic site that stands atop it. Nemrut Dağı is known for its ancient stone heads on a lonely spot atop Mount Nemrut (Nimrod), the highest peak in the Anti-Taurus highlands.

A Religious Sanctuary

Two terraces of stone sculptures were created to be illuminated by the light of the golden house and serve as a religious sanctuary and a tomb for its creator. One terrace faces east, while the other faces west. Antiochus and eagles, lions, and gods from other religions in the area are shown in the statues.

Although it's far away and has (relatively) little historical significance, it's a spectacular location. Mount Nemrut isn't precisely undiscovered; it attracts a decent number of visitors. To go to Mount Nemrut, though, you must be pretty determined– or at the very least prepared to remain on a bus for a long time– despite being kilometers from anywhere.

Mount Nemrut Tours

Taking a tour to Mount Nemrut is the most convenient option because the minibusses drive right up to the site's entrances. The terraces are a 20-minute uphill walk. Tours arrive from two directions: Kahta (south) and Malatya (north) (north).