Ancient mighty Hittite Empire in Turkey reborn as popular tourist attraction

Yet, there is still some progress to be made to attract even larger groups of archeology lovers and visitors, said Cakar, as the goal is half a million tourists a year.

"I think Hattusha should be incorporated into the elite group of sites that our country is trying to promote abroad, such as Gobeklitepe" which is the Neolithic site discovered in southeastern Turkey and considered one of the first temples of humanity, he noted.

Hattusha is a vast fortress-city sprawling over the rock terrain, with craggy citadels and elaborate temples constructed with huge limestone.

The ancient city is the result of decades-long joint works of German and Turkish archeologists and is notable for its urban organization, types of well-preserved structures, rich ornamentation of the Lions' Gate and the Royal Gate.