Nearly 4 million tourists have visited Turkey’s museums and archaeological sites in the first three months of 2024 alone, according to the latest information released by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. According to data, the Mevlana Museum, the ruins of Hierapolis, the ancient city of Ephesus and the Göreme Open Air Museum in Cappadocia were the most visited sites in the first quarter of the year.
Mevlana Museum
The Mevlana Museum ranked first with more than 383,000 visits during the first quarter of this year. Located in the historic city of Konya in central Turkey, it was originally the monastery of the Mevlevi order and now houses the tomb of Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi, known as Mevlana: a 13th century Sufi poet, theologian and mystic whose influence on Islamic religiosity has been fundamental.
The museum is notable for its majestic green dome and elaborated minaret, attracting visitors who seek both to appreciate its impressive architecture and to delve deeper into the life and works of Rumi. Inside the museum is a vast collection of historical artefacts, ancient manuscripts and Mevlana’s own personal items, providing an insight into the rich spiritual tradition of Sufism, the most mystical branch of Islam.
The ruins of Hierapolis
The ruins of Hierapolis came second in the ranking of the most visited museums and archaeological sites, with 259,000 tourist visits. Situated on the terraced hot springs of Pamukkale in Turkey’s Denizli province, Hierapolis offers a fascinating window into the past; founded in the 2nd century BC, this ancient Greco-Roman city has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Here, visitors can explore an extensive complex of ruins that includes a well-preserved 12,000-seat theatre, a vast necropolis with more than 1,200 tombs, the remains of several basilicas, a large agora and several Roman temples. One of the major tourist attractions of Hierapolis is its ancient thermal pool, known as the Sacred Pool, where the fallen pillars of Roman temples are submerged in the thermal waters coming directly from the springs that feed Pamukkale, creating a surreal and historically charged atmosphere where many visitors have a bath.
The ancient city of Ephesus
The ancient city of Ephesus ranked third with 249,000 visits in the first quarter. The ruins of Ephesus, a World Heritage Site, are one of the largest and best-preserved Greco-Roman archaeological sites in the eastern Mediterranean. Founded in the 10th century BC, Ephesus was an important commercial and religious centre of antiquity, famous for its location next to the ancient Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
Tourists can marvel at the spectacular Theatre of Ephesus, which could seat 25,000 spectators, or the famous Library of Celsus, whose restored façade evokes the intellectual and architectural splendour of the period. A walk through the cobbled streets of Ephesus, surrounded by ancient buildings, columns and marble temples, allows visitors to experience what daily life was like for its ancient inhabitants.
Göreme Open-Air Museum (Cappadocia)
The Göreme Open Air Museum, located in the Cappadocia region, welcomed 149,000 tourists during this period. Göreme is a town in the Turkish province of Nevşehir, famous for its nearby Göreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia, which is noted for its breathtaking scenery of unique rock formations, and for its rich history engraved in rock-hewn churches. The site has been recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, attracting tourists from all over the world not only for its natural beauty, but also for its impressive history.
The Göreme Open Air Museum is particularly well known for its houses and temples carved directly into the rocky landscape, dating from the Roman and Byzantine periods. These structures include church complexes with impressive frescoes dating back to at least the 10th century, giving an insight into the life and religiosity of its inhabitants at a time when the region was going through a turbulent religious and military period. Many tourists who visit this museum in Turkey also take the opportunity to experience a sunrise balloon tour over the valley, and thus enjoy spectacular views of its famous ‘fairy chimneys‘.
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As a history lover, Pablo Gómez was captivated by Turkey from the first day he visited it in 2006: he got married there, has a house there… and has since become an expert on Turkey’s current affairs. With a long experience in media, he has been at the helm of hispanatolia.com since 2011.
