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Kaneš | ||
province | Kayseri | |
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Residents | unknown | |
no value for residents on Wikidata: ![]() | ||
height | unknown | |
no value for height on Wikidata: ![]() | ||
no tourist info on Wikidata: ![]() | ||
location | ||
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Kültepe (also Kaneša) is a ruined city of the Hittites in Central Anatolia in the Turkey.
![](https://maps.wikimedia.org/img/osm-intl,14,38.85083,35.63444,302x300.png?lang=de&domain=de.wikivoyage.org&title=Kültepe&groups=Maske,Track,Aktivitaet,Anderes,Anreise,Ausgehen,Aussicht,Besiedelt,Fehler,Gebiet,Kaufen,Kueche,Sehenswert,Unterkunft,aquamarinblau,cosmos,gold,hellgruen,orange,pflaumenblau,rot,silber,violett)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d2/Kültepe_0877.jpg/400px-Kültepe_0877.jpg)
background
On this hill (Kültepe means ash hill in Turkish) are the remains of the various temporal phases of the Hittite city of Kanes (Kanesch) and the adjacent Assyrian trading colony (Karum).
In the middle of the third millennium BC There was already a settlement here under the name Kaneša or Neša for short, which over the years developed into one of the most important regional trading centers. It became so important that around 2200 BC An Assyrian trading colony (Karum) settled there. This parallel city, built in the Assyrian tradition, only lasted until the 18th century. v. BC stood and was abandoned after a fire.
During this period, the Hittite prince of Kanes Anitta moved out for the first time Hattuşa to be laid to rubble and ashes. When in Hattuşa from the 17th to the 12th v. BC developed the great kingdom of the Hittites, Kanes could continue to benefit from the positive development. But after the collapse of the Hittite Empire, the importance of the city also declined. At the time of the Roman provinces it was finally completely abandoned.
getting there
If you drive from Kayseri the D260 towards Sivas, the exit (approx. 10 km from the city center) is signposted to the north, i.e. towards Sivas on the left. After about 1 km you will reach the excavation site. On the left are the remains of Kanes and on the right those of the Karum.