[3] The national park was established on September 28, 1958 as the country's second protected area of this type after the discovery and excavations of important archaeological finds here.

[2][4][5] The national park is located on a slightly rugged terrain between the foothills of Taurus Mountains and the plains of Çukurova,[2] where Ceyhan River runs through.

The site, called locally "Hitit Yarımadası" ("Hittite Peninsula"), is reached by a 1,200 m (3,900 ft)-long stone-paved trail from the entrance of the national park.

[3][5][6][7] The open-air museum is an archaeological site, an ancient walled settlement of the Neo-Hittites dating back to the 8th century.

Excavated between 1946 and 1952, the artifacts, stone statues and reliefs inside the ruined fortification, are left at their original place.