Located in the eastern Anatolia region of Bitlis, the historic town of Ahlat is under the spotlight once again thanks to rising interest in the ancient Turks who took Anatolia as their homeland. The town is situated at the junction of roads that stretch from Europe to Asia and has always been home to various civilizations. The history of Ahlat, which was an important garrison town for Turks as they fought to rule over Anatolia, can be traced back as far as 15th century B.C. It was ruled in turn by the Assyrians, Urartians, Medes, Persians, Macedonians, Seleucids, Parthians and Alatosians and followed by the Byzantines and Abbasids. The town changed hands frequently and was the scene of countless uprisings and invasions, as each empire sought to control the importantly located town. The Seljuk Turks took Ahlat in 1093 and ruled until 1230. During that time, the town was heavily populated. Records show that Ahlat's population was around 350,000 in the 13th century when the population of London was only 25,000. However, once the Seljuk Empire collapsed, Ahlat went through centuries of upheaval lasting until the town became part of the Ottoman Empire after the Battle of Çaldıran in 1514. Hence, it is correct to say that Ahlat has witnessed the arrival and departure of millions of people and survived periods of prosperity and adversity.Ahlat is the birthplace of Ertuğrul, the father of Ottoman Empire founder Osman Bey. It is reminiscent of an open-air museum. It is famous for unique tombstones built during the rule of the Seljuk Empire due to their dimension and design and offers insights into Medieval Turkish architecture. There are nearly a thousand tombstones, but 118 are considered to be monuments. These works are not only important sources of information as to the technical and decorative repertoire of the period, but also act as historical sources for important masons and craftsman, whose names appear in inscriptions. Craftsmen, stonemasons and architects trained in Ahlat made great contributions to the Islamic world throughout the centuries. Ahlat's art can be seen in many structures in Anatolia, and the ceramic furnaces in the city represent one of the most important ceramic production centers in the Islamic world.To promote Ahlat's history and its significance in the history of the Turks in Anatolia, a short film has been prepared by the District Governorship of Ahlat. The short film is part of the "Ahlat in Virtual World" project and offers insights about the history of Ahlat as well as the cultural value of the town. The film premiered in Ankara on Saturday, and six versions are featured on the social media accounts of "Diriliş Ertuğrul" (Resurrection Ertuğrul), one of the most watched TV series in Turkey. The film will also be broadcast on Turkish Airlines planes, inviting domestic and international tourists to the place where Turkish history in Anatolia began.Ahlat and its historic tombstones are currently listed on the Tentative List of UNESCO's World Heritages, though they are expected to be included on the permanent list in the near future.