A 30 m high mound on the Malatya plain, lived in for thousands of years. Its palace, from around 3400 to 3100 BC, is unusually well preserved.

Inscribed 2021MalatyaCultural

Video

Arslantepe Archaeological Site and Open Air Museum, Malatya | Turkish Museums (Turkish Museums (TurkishMuseums)). Watch on YouTube.

Plan your visit

  • Getting there: Fly to Malatya Erhaç Airport (MLX), about 30 km from Malatya city. The mound is about 7 km from the city centre. A taxi is the simplest way, and ask it to wait. Malatya is the usual base.
  • How long: Allow 1 to 1.5 hours.
  • Best time: Spring and early autumn are milder. Roofs cover the palace, so it also works on a wet day.
  • Tickets and hours: Open 08:00 to 19:00 from 1 June to 1 October, and 08:00 to 17:00 after that. Foreign adults pay EUR 5.
  • Tip: Ask your taxi driver to wait. Pick-ups at the site are not guaranteed.
  • Tip: Bring a light jacket for mornings and evenings.
  • Nearby: Mount Nemrut is a long day trip from Malatya. Tours run in spring and summer.

UNESCO listingOfficial visitor pageDirections in Google Maps

Header photo: Arslantepe near Malatya — Photo: Klaus-Peter Simon via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

More UNESCO sites in Turkey

Previous: Göbekli Tepe. Next: Historic Areas of Istanbul. See the full list of all 22 UNESCO sites in Turkey.

Inscription details checked on 8 November 2026 with UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Prices, hours and transport change, so check the official page before you go.