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World Heritage Sites in Turkey

UNESCO

UNESCO is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. It was founded in 1945 and is headquartered in Paris. UNESCO's purpose is to promote international cooperation in education, science, culture, and communication, to protect cultural heritage, and to contribute to peace and sustainable development. In summary, UNESCO is a global UN agency that aims to unite the peoples of the world through shared values, knowledge sharing, and the preservation of cultural heritage. As of 2025, the UNESCO World Heritage List includes 1,248 sites of outstanding universal value, comprising 972 cultural, 235 natural, and 41 mixed sites.

 

World Heritage Sites in Turkey

Turkey has 22 heritage sites on the UNESCO World Heritage List, including 20 cultural and 2 mixed sites. 

Cultural Sites in Turkey on the UNESCO World Heritage List

1-Historic Areas of Istanbul (Istanbul) 1985

2- Divriği Ulu Mosque and Hospital (Sivas) 1985

3- Hattusa, Capital of the Hittites (Çorum) 1986

4- Mount Nemrut (Adıyaman) 1987

5- Xanthos-Letoon (Antalya – Muğla) 1988

6- Safranbolu Town (Karabük) 1994

7- Ancient City of Troy (Çanakkale) 1998

8- Edirne Selimiye Mosque and Complex (Edirne) 2011

9- Çatalhöyük Neolithic Site (Konya) 2012

10- Bursa and Cumalıkızık: Birthplace of the Ottoman Empire (Bursa) 2014

11- Bergama Multi-Layered Cultural Landscape Area (Izmir) 2014

12- Diyarbakır Castle and Hevsel Gardens (Diyarbakır) 2015

13- Ephesus (Izmir) 2015

14- Ani Archaeological Site (Kars) 2016

15- Aphrodisias (Aydın) 2017

16- Göbekli Tepe (Şanlıurfa) 2018

17- Afyon Ulu Mosque (Afyonkarahisar) 2023

18- Aslanhane Mosque (Ankara) 2023

19- Eşrefoğlu Mosque (Konya) 2023

20- Mahmut Bey Mosque (Kastamonu) 2023

21- Sivrihisar Ulu Mosque (Eskişehir) 2023

22- Sardes Ancient City and Bin Tepe Lydia Tumuli (Manisa) 2025

 

 

Turkey's Mixed (Cultural and Natural) Sites on the World Heritage List

1- Göreme National Park and Cappadocia (Nevşehir) (1985)

2-Pamukkale-Hierapolis (Denizli) (1988)

 

Turkey has a total of 79 heritage sites on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List, including 72 cultural, 4 mixed, and 3 natural sites, including the Ancient City of Priene.

Turkey's Sites on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List

1-Karain Cave (Antalya) 1994

2- Urartu and Ottoman Old Settlement Ahlat Tombstones (Bitlis) 2000

3- Alahan Monastery (Mersin) 2000

4- Alanya (Antalya) 2000

5- Harran and Şanlıurfa (Şanlıurfa) 2000

6- İshakpaşa Palace (Ağrı) 2000

7- Seljuk Capital of Konya (Konya) 2000

8- Cultural Landscape of Mardin (Mardin) 2000

9- Seljuk Caravanserais on the Denizli-Dogubayazit Route (Denizli – Ağrı) 2000

10- St. Nicholas Church (Antalya) 2000

11- St. Paul Church, St. Paul's Well and its Historical Environment (Mersin) 2000

12- Sumela Monastery (Trabzon) 2000

13- Ancient Cities of Lycia (Antalya and Muğla) 2009

14- Perge Archaeological Site (Antalya) 2009

15- Sagalassos Archaeological Site (Burdur) 2009

16- Hatay, St. Pierre Church (Hatay) 2011

17- Ancient City of Aizanoi (Kütahya) 2012

18- Medieval Town of Beçin (Muğla) 2012

19- Birgi Historic Town (Izmir) 2012

20- Hacı Bektaş Veli Complex (Nevşehir) 2012

21- Hekatomnos Monumental Tomb and Sacred Area (Muğla) 2012

22- Niğde's Historical Monuments (Niğde) 2012

23- Mamure Castle (Mersin) 2012

24- Odunpazarı Historical City Center (Eskişehir) 2012

25- Yesemek Stone Quarry and Sculpture Workshop (Gaziantep) 2012

26- Zeugma Archaeological Site (Gaziantep) 2012

27- Laodicea Archaeological Site (Denizli) 2013

28- Fortified Settlements on the Genoese Trade Route from the Mediterranean to the Black Sea 2013

29- Anatolian Seljuk Madrasas (Konya, Kayseri, Sivas, Erzurum, Kırşehir) 2014

30- Ancient City of Anavarza (Adana) 2014

31- Ancient City of Kaunos (Muğla) 2014

32- Ancient City of Korykos (Mersin) 2014

33- Kültepe - Kanesh Archaeological Site (Kayseri) 2014

34- Çanakkale and Gallipoli World War I Battlefields (Çanakkale) 2014

35- Eflatun Pınar: Hittite Rock Monument (Konya) 2014

36- İznik (Bursa) 2014

37- Ahi Evran Tomb (Kırşehir) 2014

38- Vespasianus - Titus Tunnel (Hatay) 2014

39- Zeynel Abidin Mosque and Mor Yakup (St. Jacob) Church (Mardin) 2014

40- Akdamar Church (Van) 2015

41- Aspendos Ancient City Theater and Aqueducts (Antalya) 2015

42- Eshab-ı Kehf Complex (Islamic-Ottoman Social Complex) (Kahramanmaraş) 2015

43- Mudurnu Historical Ahi Town: Witnesses of Ahilik (Bolu) 2015

44- Mountainous Phrygia (Eskişehir, Kütahya, Afyon) 2015

45- Stratonikeia Ancient City (Muğla) 2015

46- Uzunköprü (Edirne) 2015

47- Tomb of İsmail Fakirullah and the Light Refraction Mechanism (Siirt) 2015

48- Yıldız Palace Complex (Istanbul) 2015

49- Bodrum Castle (Muğla) 2016

50- Hacı Bayram Mosque and Surrounding Historical Areas (Ankara) 2016

51- Sultan II. Beyazıd Han Complex (Edirne) 2016

52- Nuruosmaniye Complex (Istanbul) 2016

53- Malabadi Bridge (Diyarbakır) 2016

54- Tuşpa/Van Castle, Van Historical City and Mound (Van) 2016

55- Kibyra Ancient City (Burdur) 2016

56- Yivli Minaret Mosque (Antalya) 2016

57- Assos Archaeological Site (Çanakkale) 2017

58- Ayvalık Industrial Landscape (Balıkesir) 2017

59- İvriz Cultural Landscape (Konya) 2017

60- Priene Archaeological Site (Aydın) 2018

61- Gaziantep Underground Water Structures: Livas and Kasteller (Gaziantep) 2018

62- Early Anatolian Turkish Heritage: Niksar, Capital of the Danismendid Beylik (Tokat) 2018

63- Justinian Bridge (Sakarya) 2018

64- Sarıkaya Roman Baths (Yozgat) 2018

65- Harput Historic City (Elazığ) 2018

66- Historic Port City of İzmir (İzmir) 2020

67- Koramaz Valley (Kayseri) 2020

68- Zerzevan Castle and Mithraeum (Diyarbakır) 2020

69- Karatepe Aslantaş Archaeological Site (Osmaniye) 2020

70- Beypazarı Historic City (Ankara) 2020

71- Mardin Midyat Area (Tur Abdin) Late Antique and Medieval Churches and Monasteries (Mardin) 2021

72- Ankara: Planning and Construction of a Modern Capital City (Ankara) 2025

 

 

 

Mixed (Natural and Cultural) Heritage Sites:

73- Mount Harşena and the Rock Tombs of the Pontic Kings (Amasya) 2015

74- Güllük Mountain-Termessos National Park (Antalya) 2000

75- Kekova (Antalya) 2000

76- Kemaliye Historic Town (Erzincan) 2021

Natural Heritage:

77- Salt Lake Special Nature Reserve (Ankara-Konya-Aksaray) 2013

78- Kızılırmak Delta Bird Sanctuary (Samsun) 2016

79- Ballıca Cave Nature Park (Tokat) 2019