Golludag Hittite Town & Archaeological Site Located at an elevation of 2,172 meters in the north of Niğde province, Golludag is a protected city that can be reached via the nearby village of Kömürcü. The distance between Nigde and Golludag is approximately 60 km. The ruins of Golludag, which date back to the end of the 8th century BC, were first excavated in 1934 by Remzi Oguz Arık, and later rediscovered in 1968-69 by Burhan Tezcan. Further research was conducted by Wulf Schirmer between 1992 and 1998. The city is located within a defensive wall next to an inactive volcano's crater lake. Several building groups can be observed within the walls that encircle them. During the period when the Hittite empire collapsed and various city states emerged in Anatolia, Golludag was one of the cities within the borders of the Tabal state. Golludag was a Late-Hittite city that was fortified with ramparts during the 8th-7th centuries BC. The most extensive building at the site is about 112 x 228 meters in size and occupies the highest position. During excavations, two large double portal lions, two portal lions, two sphinxes, and two column bases adorned with lion images were discovered near the southern entrance's external and internal gates. The lion sculptures on the outer gate are made of white andesite. The better-preserved west wing sculptures stand 1.5 meters high and 2 meters long. The west-wing lions from the King's Gate were already transferred to the Kayseri Archaeological Museum in 1933, but they are currently being relocated to the Nigde Archaeological Museum. On this side of the site, only a portion (lower) of one east-wing lion is visible in Golludag. Two single portal lions were also discovered near the gate area. The more well-preserved of the two is 0.88 meters high and 1 meter long, currently on display at the Nigde Museum. A sphinx was found near the inner gate, along with one broken lion head near the inner city gate and another near the southern city gates.