Aksaray (pronounced[ˈaksaɾaj]) is a city in theCentral Anatolia region ofTurkey. It is the seat ofAksaray Province andAksaray District.[3] Its population is 247,147 (2021).[2] In 2021 the province had an estimated population of 429,069 distributed over about 7,659 km2 (2,957 sq mi).[2][4] The average elevation is 980 m (3,215 ft), with the highest point beingMt. Hasan (Turkish:Hasan Dağı) at 3,268 m (10,722 ft).
The city of Aksaray has a long history and was an important stopover point on theSilk Road that transitedAnatolia for centuries. It is a mid-sized city with theMelendiz river running through it and several monuments dating back to the pre-Ottoman era as well as some impressive examples of government buildings from the early Turkish Republic that are gathered around the main square.
In antiquity the area was namedArchelais Garsaura, which was mutated toTaksara during theSeljuk Turkish era, and then toAksaray.Aksaray means "White Palace" inTurkish.
TheAksaray Stela was written in Luwian Hieroglyphs and was dedicated by kingKiyakiyaswho described his prosperity in his reign and the benevolence of the weather godTarhunzas. Kiyakiyas may be identical with kingKiyakki of Šinuḫtu, who ruled prior to 718 BC. At that timeŠinuḫtu was taken, the king was seized and deported by the Neo-Assyrian kingSargon II.
The Hittite nameKurşauraunderwent a sound change toGarsaura. The /k/ became voiced and turned into a /g/ consonant, while the /u/ became /a/.[5] Strabon mentions Garsaura in his work (V/4 and VI/1).
The town ofGarsaura was renamedArchelaïs (Greek:Ἀρχελαΐς) byArchelaus of Cappadocia, the last Cappadocian king. InRoman times, the town was known asColonia and became a bishropric.
During Byzantine times, the town was known asKoloneia (Κολώνεια) was an important military center, holding an imperialaplekton.[10]
At some point between 1081 and 1084, the town was part of the domain ofSuleiman ibn Qutalmish according toIbn al-Athīr.[10] This would later become theSultanate of Rum and the Sultans founded and left important landmarks in and around the town. Its name also changed over time toTaksará and Aksará, which is a rendering of Garsáoura. The Moroccan travellerIbn Battuta. who visited the region in the 14th century, was impressed by the class of Muslim traders that had emerged in Aksaray and noted the urban centre as "a beautiful city, surrounded by waterways and gardens, with a water supply coming right to the houses of the city."
TheAksaray Grand Mosque in Aksaray city centre, built during the reign of the Karamanids.
In 1470 Aksaray was incorporated into theOttoman Empire byİshak Pasha after a protracted struggle against theKaramanids. Many inhabitants of the city were relocated toConstantinople (recently captured by the Ottomans) where they were settled in a part of the city that also came to be namedAksaray.
During Ottoman times, the town was prosperous in part because of its proximity to Tuz Gölü (Lake Tuz), which was a primary source of salt for Anatolia.[11]
Aksaray Provincial Government House is one of a trio of examples of the First National Architectural movement in Aksaray square.The Umbrella Street, better known as "Şemsiyeli Sokak" is a popular attraction in Aksaray.
TheAksaray Grand Mosque, also known as theKaramanoğlu Camii orUlu Camii, is a large mosque right in the city centre dating back to 1408-09 and the Karamanoğlu dynasty. It has a detached minaret erected in 1925.[12][13]
TheLuna Park, also known as Kültürpark is a large amusement theme park in the city centre of Aksaray.[15]
TheZincirye Medresesi (Chained School) was a Koranic school with a typical soaring and elaborateSeljuk portal. It was built by the bey ofKaraman in 1345 and is now used as the local library.[16][13]
TheKurşunlu Mosque, also known as the Kurşunlu Camii, and formerly the Hacı Bektaş Mosque, is a mosque in the city center of Aksaray. It is believed to have been built in 1325 by theSeljuks.[17]
TheHakiki Yusuf Baba complex, also known asSomunca Baba Complex, contains the tombs of the 14th-century Islamic leaderSomuncu Baba and the scholarCemaleddin'i Aksaray.[13]
TheKapalı Çarşı, meaning "Covered Market" is a Grand Bazaar in the city centre of Aksaray.[18]
TheAksaray Observation Deck is an observation deck overlooking the city of Aksaray.[19][20]
TheAzmi Milli Museum, also known as the Azm-i Milli T.A.Ş. Un Fabrikası, is a historic stone building built in the 1930s on the commands ofMustafa Kemal Atatürk.[21] It sits adjacent to the Zincirye Medresesi. It currently operates as a museum.[22][23]
ThePaşa Hamam, an Ottoman-era Turkish hamam built by Hacı Ali Pasha.[24]
TheKılıçaslan Hamam, a recently restored Turkish hamam in the city centre.[25]
TheAksaray Highschool, or Aksaray Lisesi, is the location of the formerRomanthermae or bathhouse.[26]
A newer attraction is Hünkarland, a largetheme park withartificial waterfalls, which is a popular venue for Aksaray wedding parties.
Hasan Dağı is a 3,000m volcano between Aksaray andNiğde, visible from the city. The (presumed) ancient Roman and Byzantine city ofNora, in the village ofHelvadere, is on the slopes of Mt Hasan, in close proximity to Aksaray.[27]
Çanlı Kilise ('Bell Church"), southeast of Aksaray city.St. Analipsis Church, also known as the "High Church" (Yüksek Kilise).
The area around the city also contains severalhöyüks.Aşıklı Höyük is a burial mound 25 km (16 mi) east of the city.Acemhöyük is an early Bronze Age settlement, 18 km (11 mi) north-west of the city.
The dramaticIhlara Canyon, 40 km (25 mi) southeast of the city, was carved out by theMelendiz river and its walls are riddled with Byzantine frescoed churches dating back to the early Middle Ages. It runs fromSelime village in the north toIhlara township in the south and is a popular destination for tour groups visitingCappadocia.[28]
NearIhlara,Güzelyurt is a prettyCappadocian town with rock-cut churches and even a rock-cut mosque as well as many find stone houses from the 19th century. Nearby are the remains of theRed Church (Kızıl Kilise) and the High Church (Yüksek Kilise).[29]
Several monumentalcaravanserais straddle the trade route linkingKonya to Aksaray that once continued toPersia (theUzun Yolu). The best known and most impressive isSultan Han, located inSultanhan village about 40 km (25 mi) west of Aksaray. A date on this fortified structure indicates that it was built in 1229, during the reign of theSeljuk SultanKayqubad I, by the Syrian architect Mohammed Bin Havlan El Dimaski (the word Dimasci indicatingDamascus) . After it was partially destroyed by a fire, it was restored and extended in 1278 by the governor Seraceddin Ahmed Kerimeddin bin El Hasan during the reign of SultanKaykhusraw III. It was then the largest caravanserai in Turkey. Today, it is one of the best surviving examples ofAnatolian Seljuk architecture.[30]
The monumental entrance to the han is on the east side and is a 13m-high marble portal (pishtaq) projecting from the 50m wide front wall. The gate is enclosed by a pointed arch decorated withmuqarnas and elegant geometric patterns. The open courtyard (44 x 58 m) was lined with arcades with stables beneath the accommodation. Outdoor areas were used in the summer, while the covered rooms (iwans) on either side were used during the winter. In the middle of the courtyard stands a square stone kiosk-mosque (kösk mesçidi), the oldest example in Turkey. The mosque on the second floor sits on a construction of four carved barrel-vaulted arches.[30]
At the other side of the courtyard is another equally decorative arched entrance with muqarnas,joggledvoussoirs and interlocking geometric designs. It leads into a stable covered with a barrel vault with transverse ribs. A short tower, capped by a dome, stands over the crossing area. This dome has anoculus, providing light and air to the stable.[30]
Aksaray Museum exhibits theAksaray Stele, a Late Hittite monument discovered in the city in 1976. The stone block is 88 cm high, and 90 cm wide but the top half is missing. It portrays a weather god, facing right and wearing pointed shoes. On the reverse are the last five lines of a text inLuwian hieroglyphs including a dedication by King Kiyakiya who describes the prosperity of his reign and the benevolence of the weather godTarhunzas. Kiyakiya is believed to be the same as King Kiakki ofŠinuḫtu, who is mentioned in Assyrian texts and ruled in 718 BC. He was then deported by the Neo-Assyrian kingSargon II. He is also mentioned in theTopada rock inscription (de:Felsinschrift von Topada) as one of the kings who were allied withWasusarma ofTabal.
Aksaraykilim, 18th century. Likely made by settled Hotamis Turkmen in the Aksaray region. Size 185 x 100 cm.
the Aksaray Castle was a four-cornered, stone-built, solidly built castle on a large area, on the edge of theMelendiz river. It was built in the middle of the city. The bastion and its towers were not very high. With all their bastions, teeth and bodies, their crenellated holes and their calculated towers always faced each other. During the siege, the strong warriors of each tower guarded the towers with rifles. There were five gates on the side of the fortresses. Küçükkapı faces west. Demirkapı (Sídero Porta) opens to the qibla. Keçikapısı (Gida Porta) also opens towards the qibla. Ereğlikapısı (Herakleia Porta) opens to the south and Konyakapısı (Ikónion Porta) opens to the west. The guards of these gates are the tax collectors. A warehouse was built in the castle to store wheat during the rebels' time. It has no arsenal. There were big balls thrown during Ramadan and other festivals.[31]
The southern interior of the castle is now where Aksaray Square stands. The Kurşunlu Mosque is where Ereğlikapısı used to be. It also encompasses theAksaray Grand Mosque to the North-East of where the castle once stood. The Zinciriye Medresesi lies at the West entrance of the castle. The existence of the castle dates back to the first ages but was also very prominent during theMiddle Ages. The castle existed inRoman andByzantine times.[32]
Nora City AVM is a shopping centre in the city of Aksaray
Seventy percent of the local workforce is engaged inagriculture and animal husbandry. Barley, sugar beet, vetch, corn, potatoes, onions, beans, flax, hemp, grapes and apples are the main local crops, with wheat production being most dominant. Carpet and rug weaving were traditionally important, especially in the area around Sultanhanı but these days the weavers mainly focus on repairing and repurposing old carpets.[33] There is also some industry in Aksaray city.[34]
Ihlara Valley and the other tourist attractions ofCappadocia may be nearby but Aksaray has not had much success in attracting visitors to the city itself.
Beihammer, Alexander Daniel (2017).Byzantium and the Emergence of Muslim Turkish Anatolia, ca. 1040-1130. Routledge.ISBN978-1-138-22959-4.
Stierlin, Henry. 1998. Turkey: From the Selçuks to the Ottomans. New York: Taschen, 240.
Yavuz, Aysil Tükel. 1997. The Concepts that Shape Anatolian Seljuq Caravanserais. In Muqarnas XIV: An Annual on the Visual Culture of the Islamic World. Gülru Necipoglu (ed). Leiden: E.J. Brill, 80–95 (download)
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