What had changed the excavations of M. O. Korfmann?

Korfmann saved Troy with his excavations and restoration work from being a mere ruin and finally it became a historical site where visitors can walk and learn for themselves. As a result, the number of visitors increased from 40 000 to 500 000. Korfmann's work was not restricted to Troy. With help of his Turkish friends and colleagues, the authorities were convinced to declare Homer's landscape as "Trojan Historical National Park'.

Troy was accepted as UNESCO's World Heritage site in 1998. His excavations made clear, that Troy is Wilusa, a city mentioned in Hittite texts, and therefore the ally of the powerful Hittite empire with its capital in Boğazköy/Hattuscha. Troy/Ilion and Wilusa/Truisa were indeed the same place. This made Troy/Wilusa an Anatolian city. Last but not least, with the new informations about the lower city and its defense system, Troy was clearly the capital city of the Troad and a powerful local power in the 2nd millennium B.C.E. until it was destroyed in the "Trojan War' in 1180 Β.C.E.