Mt Nemrut

Mount Nemrut is one the highest peaks of the Mesopotamia, and its summit at 2,206 metres above the sea level contains the tomb of King Antiochus I of Commagene, commissioned by himself. The gigantic statues of gods, each weighing 6 tons and 10 meters tall, indicate what kind of super-human effort was spent on the construction of the tomb. Boulders were the main material used and they were carried up the mountain from the valley below, and similarly, the crushed rock pieces used to pile over the main tomb chamber in order to create a 50 ‑metre high cone with a 150-meter diameter base were carried the same way. This creative scheme has proven to be effective and prevented grave robbers from accessing the inner sanctum. The tomb chamber is yet to be accessed and the treasures inside are awaiting discovery. However the statues of gods and the sanctuary formed along the three aspects of the tumulus are considered unique, and consequently, it was inscribed in the UNESCO List of World Heritage.