Boğazköy Castle (Büyük Kale)

Sungurlu CastleHistoric Buildings October 2010

Boğazköy Castle is a fortified settlement associated with the Sungurlu region of Çorum, located at the heart of Hattuşaş, the capital of the Hittite State. As one of Anatolia’s oldest and most important archaeological sites, Hattuşaş was home to many successive civilizations, including the Hatti, the Hittites, the Phrygians, the Galatians, the Romans, and the Byzantines. This long history of habitation has allowed remains from different periods to be uncovered together in the excavations carried out in the area.

History

The first scientific work at Boğazköy (Hattuşaş) was conducted between 1906 and 1916 by Hugo Winckler and Theodor Makridi. These early excavations greatly expanded knowledge about Hittite civilization. Subsequently, between 1931 and 1939, Kurt Bittel took over the excavation work on behalf of the German Archaeological Institute. After 1980, the excavations were continued by Dr. Peter Neve on behalf of the German Archaeological Institute and the German Oriental Society. Throughout these studies, remains from the Hatti, Hittite, Phrygian, Galatian, Roman, and Byzantine periods were encountered at the site.

Architecture and Structure

The Büyük Kale (Royal Citadel), dating to the Hittite period, has been dated to the 13th century BC. This era corresponds to the period of the Great Hittite Kingdom, and the citadel in question also forms the core of the Hattuşaş settlement. The citadel spreads over a large area of roughly 140 x 250 m and is positioned so as to take advantage of the defensive benefits offered by the natural rocky elevation.

The most important remains here are the Royal Palace and the two-story Archive building. In this area, more than 4,000 inscriptions (cuneiform tablets) have been recovered since 1936. Shedding light on state administration, diplomatic correspondence, and religious and legal texts, these tablets played a decisive role in illuminating Hittite history through written sources. The Hattuşaş settlement was surrounded by a defensive wall roughly 6 km long; this fortification system is notable for reflecting the advanced fortress architecture of its time.

Location and Significance

Hattuşaş is an area located in the north of Central Anatolia, within the borders of Çorum, and is today largely preserved as an open-air museum. Owing to its extraordinary archaeological value, a significant portion of the artifacts unearthed in the area is exhibited in the surrounding museums.

Related Places

Among other sites connected to the same civilization and period are Hattuşaş, the Boğazköy Museum, the Hittite cult center Hüseyindede Old Hittite Cult Center, and Hittite-era settlements such as Şapinuva and Alacahöyük. For the general history of the district, see the article History of Sungurlu.

ℹ️ This article has been enriched with additional historical context and editing over the original archive content.