Aksaray facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Aksaray
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Clock Tower in Aksaray Square
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 Aksaray
Location in Turkey
Aksaray
Location in Turkey Central Anatolia
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| Country | Turkey |
| Province | Aksaray |
| District | Aksaray |
| Elevation | 980 m (3,220 ft) |
| Population
(2021)
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247,147 |
| Time zone | TRT (UTC+3) |
| Postal code |
68100
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| Area code | 0382 |
Aksaray is a cool city in the Central Anatolia part of Turkey. It's the main city of Aksaray Province and Aksaray District. About 247,147 people lived here in 2021. The whole province had around 429,069 people.
Aksaray is about 980 meters (3,215 feet) above sea level. The tallest point nearby is Mt. Hasan, a big mountain that's 3,268 meters (10,722 feet) high.
This city has a really long history! It was an important stop on the famous Silk Road. This was a trade route that went through Anatolia for hundreds of years. Aksaray is a medium-sized city with the Melendiz River flowing through it. You can see many old buildings from before the Ottoman Empire. There are also cool government buildings from when Turkey first became a republic. These are all around the main square.
The closest airport is Kapadokya Nevşehir Airport (NAV). It's about 62.1 kilometers (38.6 miles) away.
Contents
What Does Aksaray Mean?
Long ago, this area was called Archelais Garsaura. Over time, the name changed to Taksara during the Seljuk Turkish period. Then it became Aksaray. In the Turkish language, Aksaray means "White Palace".
A Journey Through Aksaray's History
Aksaray has been around for a very long time! It was first mentioned in ancient Hittite writings as Šinaḫuttum-Šinuhtu. Later, it was known by other names like Nenaşşa and Garsaura.
Ancient Times
The town of Garsaura was renamed Archelaïs by Archelaus of Cappadocia. He was the last king of Cappadocia. During the Roman times, the town was called Colonia. It became an important religious center with its own bishop. Many bishops from Colonia attended important church meetings, like the First Council of Nicaea in 325 AD.
The Middle Ages
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During the time of the Byzantine Empire, the city was known as Koloneia. It was a key military spot. Around 1081 to 1084, the city became part of the Sultanate of Rum. The Sultans built many important buildings here.
The famous traveler Ibn Battuta visited Aksaray in the 1300s. He was very impressed by the city's traders. He wrote that Aksaray was "a beautiful city, surrounded by waterways and gardens." He also noted that water came right to the houses!
Ottoman Empire Era
In 1470, Aksaray became part of the Ottoman Empire. This happened after a long fight against the Karamanids. Many people from Aksaray were moved to Constantinople (now Istanbul). They settled in a part of that city which was also named Aksaray.
During the Ottoman period, the city grew rich. This was partly because it was close to Tuz Gölü (Lake Tuz). This lake was a main source of salt for all of Anatolia.
Cool Places to See in Aksaray
In the City of Aksaray
- The Aksaray Grand Mosque is a huge mosque in the city center. It was built around 1408-09. It has a separate minaret (tower) that was added in 1925.
- The Red Minaret Mosque is also called the Leaning Minaret Mosque. It has a Seljuk Turkish minaret from 1236.
- The Luna Park (also known as Kültürpark) is a big amusement park right in the city center.
- The Zincirye Medresesi (Chained School) was a school for studying the Quran. It has a fancy Seljuk entrance. It was built in 1345 and is now used as the local library.
- The Kurşunlu Mosque is another mosque in the city center. People believe the Seljuks built it in 1325.
- The Hakiki Yusuf Baba complex has the tombs (graves) of a 14th-century Islamic leader, Somuncu Baba, and a scholar, Cemaleddin'i Aksaray.
- The Kapalı Çarşı means "Covered Market". It's a big market in the city center, like a grand bazaar.
- The Aksaray Observation Deck gives you a great view of the city.
- The Azmi Milli Museum is in an old stone building from the 1930s. It was built on the orders of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of modern Turkey. It's now a museum.
- The Paşa Hamam and the Kılıçaslan Hamam are old Turkish bathhouses.
- The Aksaray Highschool is built on the site of an ancient Roman bathhouse.
- A newer spot is Hünkarland, a big theme park with artificial waterfalls. It's a popular place for wedding parties in Aksaray.
Around Aksaray
- Hasan Dağı is a 3,000-meter (9,842-foot) volcano. You can see it from Aksaray. The ancient Roman and Byzantine city of Nora is on its slopes.
- The area around Aksaray also has several ancient mounds called höyüks. Aşıklı Höyük is a burial mound about 25 kilometers (15.5 miles) east of the city. Acemhöyük is an early Bronze Age settlement, 18 kilometers (11.2 miles) northwest.
- The amazing Ihlara Canyon is about 40 kilometers (25 miles) southeast of the city. The Melendiz River carved it out. Its walls are full of Byzantine churches with old paintings (frescoes). It's a popular spot for tourists visiting Cappadocia.
- Near Ihlara, Güzelyurt is a charming Cappadocian town. It has churches carved into rocks and even a mosque carved into a rock! There are also many beautiful stone houses from the 1800s. Nearby are the ruins of the Red Church (Kızıl Kilise) and the High Church (Yüksek Kilise).
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Caravanserais
You can find several huge caravanserais (roadside inns for travelers) along the old trade route from Konya to Aksaray. This route used to go all the way to Persia. The most famous one is Sultan Han. It's in Sultanhan village, about 40 kilometers (25 miles) west of Aksaray.
This strong building was built in 1229. It was during the time of the Seljuk Sultan Kayqubad I. An architect from Syria designed it. After a fire, it was fixed and made bigger in 1278. It was the largest caravanserai in Turkey back then. Today, it's one of the best examples of Anatolian Seljuk architecture.
The main entrance is on the east side. It's a 13-meter (43-foot) tall marble gate with cool patterns. Inside, there's a large open courtyard. This courtyard had stables and places for people to stay. In the middle of the courtyard, there's a unique stone mosque. This is the oldest example of its kind in Turkey!
Aksaray Museum
The Aksaray Museum shows off the Aksaray Stele. This is an ancient stone monument from the Late Hittite period. It was found in the city in 1976. The stone block is 88 centimeters (34.6 inches) tall and 90 centimeters (35.4 inches) wide. The top part is missing. It shows a weather god wearing pointy shoes. On the back, there are writings in an old language called Luwian hieroglyphs. These writings talk about King Kiyakiya and how good his rule was. They also mention the weather god Tarhunzas.
Aksaray Castle
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Aksaray used to have a big, strong castle. It was made of stone and had four corners. It stood by the Melendiz River in the middle of the city. The castle had many towers and gates. There were five gates, each facing a different direction. For example, the Ereğlikapısı (Herakleia Gate) opened to the south.
The castle was very important during the Middle Ages. It existed during the Roman and Byzantine times too. Today, the southern part of where the castle stood is now Aksaray Square. The Kurşunlu Mosque and the Aksaray Grand Mosque are also located where parts of the old castle once were. The Zinciriye Medresesi is near where the west entrance of the castle used to be.
Aksaray's Economy
Most people in Aksaray (about 70%) work in farming and raising animals. The main crops grown here are wheat, barley, sugar beet, corn, potatoes, onions, beans, and grapes.
In the past, making carpets and rugs was very important, especially around Sultanhanı. Now, people mostly fix and reuse old carpets. There are also some factories and businesses in Aksaray city.
Even though the famous Ihlara Valley and other Cappadocia tourist spots are nearby, Aksaray city itself hasn't attracted many visitors.
Aksaray's Climate
Aksaray has a cold semi-arid climate. This means it's usually dry, but not a desert. Summers can be hot.
- Highest temperature ever recorded: 40.8°C (105.4°F) on August 15, 2023
- Lowest temperature ever recorded: -29.0°C (-20.2°F) on February 7, 1991
Sports
The Runfire Cappadocia Ultramarathon is a very long running race held every July since 2012. It's a "desert concept" race, meaning it's like running in a desert. Over six days, runners cover about 244 kilometers (151.6 miles). The race goes through different parts of Cappadocia, including Lake Tuz.
Famous People From Aksaray
- Piri Mehmed Pasha was an important leader in the Ottoman Empire. He was the Grand Vizier (like a prime minister) from 1518 to 1523.
Images for kids
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Clock Tower in Aksaray Square
See also
In Spanish: Aksaray para niños
