Göbeklitepe, a site in southeastern Turkey hailed as the world’s oldest temple, has been added to UNESCO World Heritage list, the country's Foreign Ministry said, adding that the decision was made during the ongoing 42nd UNESCO World Heritage Committee session in Manama, Bahrain.
Göbeklitepe has been on UNESCO’s World Heritage Tentative List since 2011.
According to the ministry, it is "the world’s oldest known megalithic structure located in Upper Mesopotamia and dates back to 11,000 years".
"As a result of intensive efforts of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Turkish National Commission for UNESCO and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with the adoption of this decision, the number of inscribed sites of Turkey on UNESCO World Heritage List has reached to 18," Anadolu Agency cited the statement as saying.
During preparations for its candidacy, a 4,000-square-meter steel roof was erected to protect the site.
Turkey now boasts of 18 heritage sites on the list.
