Located in the northeast of the Sanlıurfa city center in southeast Turkey, Göbeklitepe was built twelve thousand years ago and is recognised as the oldest temple in the world. The site was discovered in 1963 and excavations began in 1995. Göbeklitepe is made up of a series of circular and oval shaped structures with stone-age installations that are believed to be mainly used for religious and ritual purposes.

Göbeklitepe was registered on UNESCO's tentative list five years ago and the site was closed in 2016 for preparations for the UNESCO nomination, which included the building of two permanent shelters.