Anatolian Civilizations and Historical Sites - TEDA

ANATOLIAN CIVILIZATIONS:10x19 antik kentler 8/1/11 10:50 AM Sayfa
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The Lion’s Gate, similar in outline to the King’s Gate, takes its name from the
lion bodies projecting from the pillars on its both sides. While one has been
deteriorated, the other protects its dignified pose. With its mane, mouth,
teeth, eyes and body, the statue presents a good example of the 13 th
century BC. Hittite stone workmanship. The third passage in the ramparts
is Yerkap›, which is located in the fortification ramparts to the south of the
city. Located under the gate is a 171 m. long tunnel known as potern, built
with the overlay technique. It links the interior of the city with the land in
the front. The potern was connected to the towers above by stairs.
The entrance of the gate can be seen from afar and the doors are not
able to be closed, which makes one think that the function of this
monumental building complex had nothing to do with defense. One can
still walk comfortably in this potern. While nothing remains from its
interior door, the frame and the lintel of the exterior door are still in situ.
Outside of the gate is a sitting place for sentinels. This gate, where there
were large limestone sphinxes on both sides formerly, is also known as the
"Sphinx Gate".
Büyükkale, which was both the center of government and acropolis of the
city, was constructed on a level field measuring 250x140 m., surrounded
by steep rocks on four sides. The palace here, where the Hittite kings ruled
the kingdom from, did not consist of one building, but was made up of
large and small buildings around the courtyards which were surrounded by
pillared galleries. In this area surrounded by ramparts, palace buildings
and the ancillary buildings were interconnected via courtyards and
constituted a whole. The remains which can be tracked today are from the
castles and palaces of the Hittite emperors who lived in the 13 th century
BC.
Today the acropolis is reached by a modern stairway. From here, where
there used to be a Hittite ramp, a door leads into the acropolis. Entry into
the acropolis is at the lower courtyard, where the official buildings were.
The road laid with red plaques, which can be sporadically seen while
entering through the door, opens into the entry building. At the time of
Tuthalia IV, the entrance was decorated with lions made from basalt, as is
evident from an epitaph found in the vicinity.
This place leads into a courtyard measuring 70x35 m., on the right and left
side of which were the buildings named G, M, N. These buildings, the
unction of which is unknown, open into the courtyard through pillared