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Kayseri
Metropolitan municipality
Top: Kadir Has Stadium, 2nd left: Sivas Avenue, 2nd right: Atatürk Statue and the city walls of Kayseri in the background, 3rd: Tekin business district and Oto Park, Bottom left: Kayseri Castle at night, Bottom right: Kayseray.
Top: Kadir Has Stadium, 2nd left: Sivas Avenue, 2nd right: Atatürk Statue and the city walls of Kayseri in the background, 3rd: Tekin business district and Oto Park, Bottom left: Kayseri Castle at night, Bottom right: Kayseray.
Kayseri is located in Turkey
Kayseri
Kayseri
Location in Turkey
Country  Turkey
Region Central Anatolia
Province Kayseri
Elevation
1,050 m (3,440 ft)
Population
 (2014)
 • Metropolitan municipality 1,061,942
 • Metro
1,322,376
Time zone UTC+2 (EET)
 • Summer (DST) UTC+3 (EEST)
Postal code
38x xx
Area code(s) (+90) 352
Licence plate 38
Website www.kayseri.bel.tr
www.kayseri.gov.tr

Kayseri is a large industrialised city in Central Anatolia, Turkey. It is the seat of Kayseri Province. The city of Kayseri, as defined by the boundaries of Kayseri Metropolitan Municipality, is structurally composed of five metropolitan districts, the two core districts of Kocasinan and Melikgazi, and since 2004, also Hacılar, İncesu and Talas.

Kayseri is located at the foot of the extinct volcano Mount Erciyes that towers 3,916 metres (12,848 feet) over the city. The city is often cited in the first ranks among Turkey's cities that fit the definition of Anatolian Tigers.

The city retains a number of historical monuments, including several from the Seljuk period. While it is generally visited en route to the international tourist attractions of Cappadocia, Kayseri has many attractions in its own right: Seljuk and Ottoman era monuments in and around the city centre, Mount Erciyes as a trekking and alpinism centre, Zamantı River as a rafting centre, and the historic sites of Kültepe, Ağırnas, Talas and Develi. Kayseri is served by Erkilet International Airport and is home to Erciyes University.

Ancient history

Panaghia Kirche
Former Greek church in Talas, now a mosque

The city has been continuously inhabited since perhaps c. 3000 BC with the establishment of the ancient trading colony at Kültepe (Ash Mountain) which is associated with the Hittites. The city has always been a vital trade centre as it is located on major trade routes, particularly along what was called the Great Silk Road. Kültepe, one of the oldest cities in Asia Minor, lies 20 km away.

As Mazaca, the city served as the residence of the kings of Cappadocia. The city stood low on the north side of Mount Erciyes (Mount Argaeus in ancient times). Only a few traces of the ancient site survive in the old town.

Economy

Kayseri1
Kayseri Square

Kayseri received notable public investments in the 1920s and 1930s. Sumer Textile and Kayseri Tayyare Fabrikasi (airplane manufacturer) were set up here during the post Republican Era with the help of German and particularly Russian experts. The latter manufactured the first aircraft "made in Turkey" in the 1940s. After the 1950s, the city suffered from a decrease in the amount of public investment.

Thanks to the economic liberalisation policies introduced in the 1980s, a new wave of merchants and industrialists arrived. As a consequence of better infrastructures, the city achieved a remarkable industrial growth since 2000 and is one of the key cities that characterises the class of Anatolian Tigers, with a favourable environment present especially for small and medium enterprises.

Erciyes Universität
Erciyes University

The pace of growth of the city was so fast that in 2004 the city applied to the Guinness Book of World Records for the most new manufacturing industries started in a single day: 139 factories. Kayseri also has emerged as one of the most successful furniture-making hub in Turkey earned more than a billion dollars in export revenues in 2007.

Kayseri Free Zone established in 1998, today has more than 43 companies with an investment of 140 million dollars. Kayseri FTZ with cost of $8 per square meter is one of the lowest cost land free zones in the world.

Cuisine

Kayseri is renowned for its culinary specialities such as mantı, pastırma and sucuk. Mantı is the most popular dish in Kayseri for the local people and tourists. Another speciality is stuffed zucchini flowers made with Köfte, garlic and spices. Nevzine is a traditional dessert.

Images for kids

  • Hittite fruit cup detail

    Decorated ceramic bowl from the Hittite period found in Kültepe

  • Kayseri-Huant-Hatun-Mosque2-Verity-Cridland

    Door detail from the Seljuk era Hunat Hatun Mosque and Külliye, built in 1238 by Sultana Hunat Hatun, wife of the Anatolian Seljuk Sultan Alaeddin Keykubad I and mother of Sultan Gıyaseddin Keyhüsrev II.

  • Sahabiye medresesi (gece)

    Walls of the Seljuk era Sahabiye Medresesi, built in 1267 by the Seljuk vizier Sahip Ata Fahreddin Ali.

  • Mount Erciyes (Argaeus), Turkey (31871002313)

    Mount Erciyes near Kayseri is a popular destination for winter sports.

  • Hilton - panoramio

    Hilton Hotel at the city center

  • Kayseray

    Kayseray LRT

  • Kayseri tren garı

    Kayseri Train Station

  • Kayseri Erkilet Airport 1

    Erkilet International Airport

  • Kadir Has Kongre ve Spor Merkezi Kayseri

    Kadir Has Sports Arena

  • Kadir Has Stadium in Kayseri

    Kadir Has Stadium in Kayseri.

  • Meliksah Universität (3)

    Melikşah University campus.

  • Manti of Kayseri

    Manti, a popular dish in Kayseri

  • Döner Kümbet

    Döner Kümbet

  • Kadir Has Stadion

    Kadir Has Stadium

  • Kayseri Kadir Has Stadium 12

    Kadir Has Stadium

  • Kayseri Kadir Has Stadium 13

    Kadir Has Stadium

  • Kayseri Kadir Has Stadium 9

    Kadir Has Stadium

  • 2013 - panoramio (207)

    Forum Kayseri

  • Kayseri Bürüngüz Camii ve Erciyes Dağı

    City view

  • Kayseri Saat Kulesi 02

    Kayseri clock Tower

  • Yaman Dede Konağı - Talas Kayseri

    Traditional Mansion

  • Erciyes Universität (2)

    Erciyes University

  • Hunat Hatun Külliyesi 02

    Hunat Hatun Medresesi dating from 1238

  • Asur Ticaret Tableti, Kiçikapı - panoramio

    Statue of an Assyrian tablet

  • Wild horses1

    Erciyes mountain

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Kayseri para niños

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