When you look at the travel brochures to Turkey, one of the displayed pictures is always of stone heads in rising or setting sun on a mountain. This is Nemrut Dağı (eng. Mount Nemrut).

The Mountain is tucked away in the rugged mountains of southeastern Turkey and rises to an altitude of 2,134 meters. It is one of the highest peaks in the Taurus Mountains. This UNESCO World Heritage Site (made the list in 1987) is home to one of the most bizarre and breathtaking archaeological treasures in the country and the world: the colossal stone heads of an ancient king who declared himself equal to the gods and deities. If you have ever wanted to stand among fallen giants while the sun colours the horizon in molten gold, this is the place. It took me some time to plan the trip, but I finally managed to arrive.

The story of this place begins in 62 BC with Antiochus I, who was the ruler of the small but rather ambitious Kingdom of Commagene. Antiochus, caught between the Roman and Parthian empires, decided to secure his legacy by building the ultimate monument to… well, himself. On the summit of Mount Nemrut, he created a gigantic tumulus, a man-made mountain of crushed stone 50 meters high and flanked it with two massive terraces (East and West). He had wished to be buried at the very top, surrounded by gods who would guarantee his divinity forever. The result is a surreal blend of Greek and Persian influences that still leaves archaeologists scratching their heads.

The real stars of the show are the enormous limestone statues, originally around 8 meters tall, that once sat proudly on the thrones on both the East and West Terraces. Earthquakes over the centuries toppled them, scattering their heads across the ground like the aftermath of what could look like a bowling game. On the East Terrace you can look into the eyes of (from left to right): the lion and eagle (guardians of the kingdom), then Apollo-Mithras-Helios-Hermes, Artagnes-Bahram-Ares, Zeus-Oromasdes, Antiochus himself, and finally Heracles-Artagnes-Verethragna. The West Terrace has similar lineup, though the heads there are slightly better preserved. All statutes appear to have Greek-style faces, but Persian clothes and hairdos. I am not the shortest in height, but I felt quite small standing in front of those giants. Staring into the serene, weathered faces of these 2,000-year-old giants is an experience that is both humbling and eerie the same time.

Besides the heads, both terraces feature reliefs showing Antiochus shaking hands with gods (one can say, it was his not-very-subtle way of saying “we are basically besties”). There was once an actual fire altar in the center where Commagene practiced a syncretic religion that mixed Zoroastrian and Greco-Roman elements. Today the stone base of this sanctuary only remains. Apparently, the entire complex was meant to be a hierothesion, a sacred burial sanctuary where priests would perform rituals in perpetuity. The priests are long gone, but the magic of the place definitely lingers in the air.

Despite the altitude, getting to the top is surprisingly easy. From the parking area, it is a well-maintained stone path with stairs that takes most people approx. 20-25 minutes. Yes, you do have to climb, but it is nothing like the lung-busting treks you might imagine for a 2,000meter peak. The only real challenge may be the altitude for some. The thin air can leave you puffing a bit if you are not used to it. But my advice is, take your time, sip water, stop here and there and take in the ever-expanding views as the Taurus Mountains roll out beneath you. With these views, the walk itself is something to experience.

And then there is sunset. Unfortunately, it is not allowed to walk among the Gods or climb closer to the thrones, but the evening is the time where the magic happens. The West Terrace is perfectly placed to catch the sun dipping behind distant peaks, turning the sky into a canvas of orange, reds, and different shades of blue. The giant heads glow like molten gold, their shadows stretching dramatically across the stones. I arrived more than an hour and a half early just to claim a good spot, and it was worth every minute of waiting. As the last rays slipped away, me and the entire mountain seemed to hold its breath. After traveling to different places across the globe, I can say that there are few places on Earth that deliver that kind of silence and grandeur in one perfect moment.

Mount Nemrut is located 40km, near the city of Adıyaman. Our minibus driver smoothly navigated on the road that winded like a rollercoaster. I took this trip in the midst of a very hot summer, so the coolness of the altitude was very welcome. Moreover, there were no souvenir stalls crowding the path and the summit and no loud tour groups. It was me, a handful of fellow travelers, and the ghosts of an ancient king’s impossible ambition.

If you ever find yourself in Turkey with a free weekend and a craving for something truly out of this world, set your Google Maps toward Adıyaman and head for the sky. Remember to grab your hoodie as it gets chili fast after sunset, charge your camera, and give yourself plenty of time to watch the sun say goodnight to the gods. Mount Nemrut does not just reward patience, it hands you one of the most unforgettable evenings of your life.