Aksaray

Aksaray

📌 About the City

Aksaray is an ancient city located in Türkiye's Inland Anatolia Region. Its history dates back thousands of years. The region bears traces from the Mesozoic and Cenozoic eras. Exactly 11,000 years ago, after the Ice Age ended and alongside the extinction of giant mammoths and saber-toothed tigers, the people of Central Anatolia abandoned their nomadic hunting lifestyle and decided to settle permanently. These people established a settlement called Aşıklı Höyük, creating the world’s first known village. They now lived together in a safer, more organized community.

After the Hattians, Aksaray came under the control of the Hittites, Persians, Alexander the Great, Romans, and Byzantines. The earliest Christians, forced to hide due to persecution by the Romans, built hidden underground cities and carved homes and churches into massive rock formations in and around Aksaray. This allowed them to remain safe while establishing peaceful, stable communities.

Aksaray, formerly part of Konya, became a separate province in 1920. It is renowned for its landmarks including Hasan Dağı, Eğri Minare, Zinciriye Medresesi, and Ziga Thermal Springs. Aksaray is also famous for the Ihlara Valley, which formed due to the erosion of the Melendiz River along a depression created by volcanic activity and tectonic uplifts on Hasan Dağı. The deep valley offers a unique landscape of natural greenery.

Crafts

Aksaray is home to original examples of carpet weaving, a craft with deep historical roots among the Turks. The tradition of carpet weaving took firm hold in Taşpınar, a district of Aksaray, which is now renowned for its carpets.

Region: Inland Anatolia Region

Population: 439,474 (2024)

Climate: Continental climate (hot and dry summers, cold and rainy winters)

Neighboring Provinces: Nevşehir, Niğde, Konya, Kırşehir, Ankara

Historical Significance: Located on the Silk Road and serving as the western gateway to Cappadocia, Aksaray holds considerable historical importance.

Where Is It on the Map?

Aksaray is situated in the central section of the Kızılırmak River within the Inland Anatolia Region.