Koine Greek Koine Greek (; Koine el, ἡ κοινὴ διάλεκτος, hē koinè diálektos, the common dialect; ), also known as Hellenistic Greek, common Attic, the Alexandrian dialect, Biblical Greek or New Testament Greek, was the common supra-reg ...

Medieval Greek Medieval Greek (also known as Middle Greek, Byzantine Greek, or Romaic) is the stage of the Greek language between the end of classical antiquity in the 5th–6th centuries and the end of the Middle Ages, conventionally dated to the Ottoman co ...

Ancient Greek Ancient Greek includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (), Dark Ages (), the Archaic peri ...

Central Anatolia The Central Anatolia Region ( tr, İç Anadolu Bölgesi) is a geographical region of Turkey. The largest city in the region is Ankara. Other big cities are Konya, Kayseri, Eskişehir, Sivas, and Aksaray. Located in Central Turkey, it is bordered ...

Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...

Aksaray Province Aksaray Province ( tr, ) is a province in central Turkey. Its adjacent provinces are Konya along the west and south, Niğde to the southeast, Nevşehir to the east, and Kırşehir to the north. It covers an area of . The provincial capital is t ...

Aksaray District Aksaray District (also: ''Merkez'', meaning "central") is a Districts of Turkey, district of Aksaray Province of Turkey. Its seat is the city Aksaray.İl Belediyesi
Turkey Civil Administration Departments Inventory. Retrieved 12 January 2023. Its population is 247,147 (2021). In 2021 the province had an estimated population of 429,069 distributed over about . The average elevation is , with the highest point being Mt. Hasan (

Turkish Turkish may refer to: *a Turkic language spoken by the Turks * of or about Turkey ** Turkish language *** Turkish alphabet ** Turkish people, a Turkic ethnic group and nation *** Turkish citizen, a citizen of Turkey *** Turkish communities and mi ...

: ''Hasan Dağı'') at . The city of Aksaray has a long history and was an important stopover point on the

Silk Road The Silk Road () was a network of Eurasian trade routes active from the second century BCE until the mid-15th century. Spanning over 6,400 kilometers (4,000 miles), it played a central role in facilitating economic, cultural, political, and reli ...

that transited

Anatolia Anatolia, tr, Anadolu Yarımadası), and the Anatolian plateau, also known as Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Western Asia and the westernmost protrusion of the Asian continent. It constitutes the major part of modern-day Turkey. The re ...

for centuries. It is a mid-sized city with the

Melendiz river The Melendiz River (Turkish: ''Uluırmak'' ), is a stream forming the Ihlara Valley in the territory of the Aksaray Province, Turkey. In ancient times, its name was Potamus Kapadukus (Cappadocia River). It arises from Melendiz Mountain, passes ...

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. The nearest airport is Kapadokya Nevşehir Airport (NAV) which is 62.1 km away from the city.

Etymology

In antiquity the area was named ''Archelais Garsaura'', which was mutated to ''Taksara'' during the

Seljuk Turk The Seljuk dynasty, or Seljukids ( ; fa, سلجوقیان ''Saljuqian'', alternatively spelled as Seljuqs or Saljuqs), also known as Seljuk Turks, Seljuk Turkomans "The defeat in August 1071 of the Byzantine emperor Romanos Diogenes by the Turk ...

ish era, and then to ''Aksaray''. ''Aksaray'' means "White Palace" in

Turkish Turkish may refer to: *a Turkic language spoken by the Turks * of or about Turkey ** Turkish language *** Turkish alphabet ** Turkish people, a Turkic ethnic group and nation *** Turkish citizen, a citizen of Turkey *** Turkish communities and mi ...

.

History

Antiquity

First mentioned as Šinaḫuttum-Šinuhtu in ancient Hittite texts, and later Nenaşşa, (also spelled as Nenessa and ''Nenossós'' in

Ancient Greek Ancient Greek includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (), Dark Ages (), the Archaic peri ...

texts) and Kurşaura, The town of Garsaura was named Archelaïs ( el, ) by

Archelaus of Cappadocia Archelaus ( el, Ἀρχέλαος; fl. 1st century BC and 1st century, died 17 AD) was a Roman client prince and the last king of Cappadocia. Family and early life Archelaus was a Cappadocian Greek nobleman. His full name was ''Archelaus Sisin ...

, the last Cappadocian king. In

Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...

times, the town was known as Colonia and became a bishropric. Of its bishops, Euphrasius was at the

First Council of Nicaea The First Council of Nicaea (; grc, Νίκαια ) was a council of Christian bishops convened in the Bithynian city of Nicaea (now İznik, Turkey) by the Roman Emperor Constantine I in AD 325. This ecumenical council was the first effort ...

in 325; Bosporus (who is mentioned in the correspondence of

Basil the Great Basil of Caesarea, also called Saint Basil the Great ( grc, Ἅγιος Βασίλειος ὁ Μέγας, ''Hágios Basíleios ho Mégas''; cop, Ⲡⲓⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ Ⲃⲁⲥⲓⲗⲓⲟⲥ; 330 – January 1 or 2, 379), was a bishop of Ca ...

and

Gregory of Nazianzus Gregory of Nazianzus ( el, Γρηγόριος ὁ Ναζιανζηνός, ''Grēgorios ho Nazianzēnos''; ''Liturgy of the Hours'' Volume I, Proper of Saints, 2 January. – 25 January 390,), also known as Gregory the Theologian or Gregory N ...

) at the

First Council of Constantinople The First Council of Constantinople ( la, Concilium Constantinopolitanum; grc-gre, Σύνοδος τῆς Κωνσταντινουπόλεως) was a council of Christian bishops convened in Constantinople (now Istanbul, Turkey) in AD 381 b ...

in 381; Daniel at the

Council of Ephesus The Council of Ephesus was a council of Christian bishops convened in Ephesus (near present-day Selçuk in Turkey) in AD 431 by the Roman Emperor Theodosius II. This third ecumenical council, an effort to attain consensus in the church th ...

in 431; Aristomachus (who was also a signatory of the letter of the bishops of the

Roman province The Roman provinces (Latin: ''provincia'', pl. ''provinciae'') were the administrative regions of Ancient Rome outside Roman Italy that were controlled by the Romans under the Roman Republic and later the Roman Empire. Each province was rule ...

of

Cappadocia Tertia Cappadocia was a province of the Roman Empire in Anatolia (modern central-eastern Turkey), with its capital at Caesarea. It was established in 17 AD by the Emperor Tiberius (ruled 14–37 AD), following the death of Cappadocia's last king, Arch ...

, to which Colonia belonged, to

Byzantine Emperor This is a list of the Byzantine emperors from the foundation of Constantinople in 330 AD, which marks the conventional start of the Eastern Roman Empire, to its fall to the Ottoman Empire in 1453 AD. Only the emperors who were recognized as le ...

Leo I the Thracian Leo I (; 401 – 18 January 474), also known as "the Thracian" ( la, Thrax; grc-gre, ο Θραξ),; grc-gre, Μακέλλης), referencing the murder of Aspar and his son. was Eastern Roman emperor from 457 to 474. He was a native of Dacia A ...

about the killing of

Proterius of Alexandria Hieromartyr Proterius of Alexandria (died 457) was Patriarch of Alexandria from 451 to 457. He had been appointed by the Council of Chalcedon to replace the deposed Dioscorus. History Proterius was elected by the Council of Chalcedon in 451 t ...

in 458) at the

Council of Chalcedon The Council of Chalcedon (; la, Concilium Chalcedonense), ''Synodos tēs Chalkēdonos'' was the fourth ecumenical council of the Christian Church. It was convoked by the Roman emperor Marcian. The council convened in the city of Chalcedon, Bith ...

in 451; Alexander at a council in Constantinople called by

Patriarch Menas of Constantinople Menas (Minas) ( grc, Μηνάς) (died 25 August 552) considered a saint in the Calcedonian affirming church and by extension both the Eastern Orthodox Church and Roman Catholic Church of our times, was born in Alexandria, and enters the record ...

in 536; and Conon at the

Trullan Council The Quinisext Council (Latin: ''Concilium Quinisextum''; Koine Greek: , ''Penthékti Sýnodos''), i.e. the Fifth-Sixth Council, often called the Council ''in Trullo'', Trullan Council, or the Penthekte Synod, was a church council held in 692 at ...

of 692. No longer a residential bishopric, Colonia in Cappadocia is today listed by the

Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

as a

titular see A titular see in various churches is an episcopal see of a former diocese that no longer functions, sometimes called a "dead diocese". The ordinary or hierarch of such a see may be styled a "titular metropolitan" (highest rank), "titular archbish ...

. Colonia is also a titular Turkish metropolis of the

Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople ( el, Οἰκουμενικὸν Πατριαρχεῖον Κωνσταντινουπόλεως, translit=Oikoumenikón Patriarkhíon Konstantinoupóleos, ; la, Patriarchatus Oecumenicus Constanti ...

.

Middle Ages

During Byzantine times, the town was known as Koloneia (Κολώνεια) was an important military center, holding an imperial '' aplekton''. At some point between 1081 and 1084, the town was part of the domain of Suleiman ibn Qutalmish according to Ibn al-Athīr. This would later became the

Sultanate of Rum fa, سلجوقیان روم () , status = , government_type = Hereditary monarchyTriarchy (1249–1254)Diarchy (1257–1262) , year_start = 1077 , year_end = 1308 , p1 = By ...

and the Sultans founded and left important landmarks in and around the town. Its name also changed over time to Taksará and Aksará, which is a rendering of Garsáoura. The Moroccan traveller

Ibn Battuta Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Battutah (, ; 24 February 13041368/1369),; fully: ; Arabic: commonly known as Ibn Battuta, was a Berbers, Berber Maghrebi people, Maghrebi scholar and explorer who travelled extensively in the lands of Afro-Eurasia, ...

. 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."

Ottoman Empire

In 1470 Aksaray was incorporated into the Ottoman Empire by

İshak Pasha Ishak Pasha ( ota, إسحق پاشا, tr, İshak Paşa; 1444 – died 30 January 1487) was an Ottoman general, statesman, and later Grand Vizier of Albanian or Greek origins. Origin Turkish orientalist Halil Inalcik (1916–2016) believed tha ...

after a protracted struggle against the

Karamanids The Karamanids ( tr, Karamanoğulları or ), also known as the Emirate of Karaman and Beylik of Karaman ( tr, Karamanoğulları Beyliği), was one of the Anatolian beyliks, centered in South-Central Anatolia around the present-day Karaman Pro ...

. Many inhabitants of the city were relocated to Constantinople (recently captured by the Ottomans) where they were settled in a part of the city that also came to be named Aksaray. 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.

Attractions

In Aksaray

The

Aksaray Grand Mosque The Aksaray Grand Mosque, also known as the Ulu Mosque, is the mosque located in the city center of Aksaray. It is also known as the Karamanoğlu Mosque. It was commissioned by Mehmet I of Karaman and built between 1408 and 1409. History The Ak ...

, also known as the Karamanoğlu Camii or Ulu 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. The

Red Minaret Mosque The Red Minaret Mosque, sometimes called the Leaning Minaret, or Eğri Minaret, is located in the city center of Aksaray. It belongs to the Seljuk period, and between the years 1221-1237 I. It was built during the reign of Alaeddin Keykubad. It ...

, also known as the Eğri Minare Mosque, (Leaning Minaret Mosque) has a

Seljuk Turk The Seljuk dynasty, or Seljukids ( ; fa, سلجوقیان ''Saljuqian'', alternatively spelled as Seljuqs or Saljuqs), also known as Seljuk Turks, Seljuk Turkomans "The defeat in August 1071 of the Byzantine emperor Romanos Diogenes by the Turk ...

ish minaret dating back to 1236 and the reign of Aläettin Keykubat. The Luna Park, also known as Kültürpark is a large amusement theme park in the city centre of Aksaray. The Zincirye Medresesi (Chained School) was a Koranic school with a typical soaring and elaborate Seljuk portal. It was built by the bey of Karaman in 1345 and is now used as the local library. The Kurşunlu 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 the Seljuks. The Hakiki Yusuf Baba complex, also known as Somunca Baba Complex, contains the tombs of the 14th-century Islamic leader

Somuncu Baba Sheyh Hamid-i Vali (1331–1412), better known by his sobriquet Somunju Baba, was an ascetic teacher of Islam in Bursa, Turkey, who exerted extensive influence and is known as a Muslim saint. He was born in Kayseri and died in Aksaray. He taught at ...

and the scholar Cemaleddin'i Aksaray. The Kapalı Çarşı, meaning "Covered Market" is a Grand Bazaar in the city centre of Aksaray. The Aksaray Observation Deck is an observation deck overlooking the city of Aksaray. The Azmi 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 of

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, or Mustafa Kemal Pasha until 1921, and Ghazi Mustafa Kemal from 1921 Surname Law (Turkey), until 1934 ( 1881 – 10 November 1938) was a Turkish Mareşal (Turkey), field marshal, Turkish National Movement, re ...

. It sits adjacent to the Zincirye Medresesi. It currently operates as a museum. The Paşa Hamam, an Ottoman-era Turkish hamam built by Hacı Ali Pasha. The Kılıçaslan Hamam, a recently restored Turkish hamam in the city centre. The Aksaray Highschool, or Aksaray Lisesi, is the location of the former

Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...

thermae or bathhouse. A newer attraction is Hünkarland, a large theme park with artificial waterfalls, which is a popular venue for Aksaray wedding parties.

Around Aksaray

Hasan Dağı Mount Hasan ( tr, Hasan Dağı) is a volcano in Anatolia, Turkey. It has two summits, the high eastern Small Hasan Dagi and the high Big Hasan Dagi, and rises about above the surrounding terrain. It consists of various volcanic deposits, includ ...

is a 3,000m volcano between Aksaray and

Niğde Niğde (; grc, Νίγδη; Hittite: Nahita, Naxita) is a city and the capital of Niğde province in the Central Anatolia region of Turkey at an elevation of 1,299 m. In 2017 the city population was 141,010 people. The city is small with plenty ...

, visible from the city. The (presumed) ancient Roman and Byzantine city of '' Nora'', in the village of Helvadere, is on the slopes of Mt Hasan, in close proximity to Aksaray. Çanlı Kilise 01

The area around the city also contains several ''höyüks''. Aşıklı Höyük is a burial mound east of the city.

Acemhöyük Acemhöyük is an archaeological site in Turkey. The tell is located near the village of Yeşilova in Merkez district, Aksaray Province. The Bronze Age name for the place was probably Purušḫanda/Purušḫattum or . The site was an Assyrian ...

is an early Bronze Age settlement, north-west of the city. Ihlara Valley - panoramio (31)

The dramatic Ihlara Canyon, southeast of the city, was carved out by the

Melendiz river The Melendiz River (Turkish: ''Uluırmak'' ), is a stream forming the Ihlara Valley in the territory of the Aksaray Province, Turkey. In ancient times, its name was Potamus Kapadukus (Cappadocia River). It arises from Melendiz Mountain, passes ...

and its walls are riddled with Byzantine frescoed churches dating back to the early Middle Ages. It runs from Selime village in the north to

Ihlara Ihlara, formerly known as Xliára (Cappadocian Greek: Χλιάρα; Latin: Chliará) is a township with its own municipality in Aksaray Province, Central Anatolia, Turkey. It is situated at about from the province seat of Aksaray and near the tow ...

township in the south and is a popular destination for tour groups visiting Cappadocia. Near

Ihlara Ihlara, formerly known as Xliára (Cappadocian Greek: Χλιάρα; Latin: Chliará) is a township with its own municipality in Aksaray Province, Central Anatolia, Turkey. It is situated at about from the province seat of Aksaray and near the tow ...

, Güzelyurt is a pretty Cappadocian 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 the Red Church (''Kızıl Kilise'') and the High Church (''Yüksek Kilise'').

Caravanserais

Several monumental

caravanserai A caravanserai (or caravansary; ) was a roadside inn where travelers ( caravaners) could rest and recover from the day's journey. Caravanserais supported the flow of commerce, information and people across the network of trade routes covering ...

s straddle the trade route linking Konya to Aksaray that once continued to Persia (the ''Uzun Yolu''). The best known and most impressive is Sultan Han, located in Sultanhan village about west of Aksaray. A date on this fortified structure indicates that it was built in 1229, during the reign of the Seljuk Sultan Kayqubad I, by the Syrian architect Mohammed Bin Havlan El Dimaski (the word Dimasci indicating

Damascus )), is an adjective which means "spacious". , motto = , image_flag = Flag of Damascus.svg , image_seal = Emblem of Damascus.svg , seal_type = Seal , map_caption = , ...

) . 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 Sultan Kaykhusraw III. It was then the largest caravanserai in Turkey. Today, it is one of the best surviving examples of

Anatolia Anatolia, tr, Anadolu Yarımadası), and the Anatolian plateau, also known as Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Western Asia and the westernmost protrusion of the Asian continent. It constitutes the major part of modern-day Turkey. The re ...

n Seljuk architecture. 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 with muqarnas 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. At the other side of the courtyard is another equally decorative arched entrance with muqarnas, joggled voussoirs 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 an oculus, providing light and air to the stable.

Aksaray Museum

Aksaray Museum exhibits the

Aksaray Stele The Aksaray Stele is a Syro-Hittite monument that was found in the city of Aksaray in western Cappadocia in central Turkey. It is exhibited in Aksaray Museum (inventory number 1-1-77). According to the British hithitologist John David Hawkins, ...

, 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 in Luwian hieroglyphs including a dedication by King Kiyakiya who describes the prosperity of his reign and the benevolence of the weather god Tarhunzas. Kiyakiya is believed to be the same as King Kiakki of Šinuḫtu, who is mentioned in Assyrian texts and ruled in 718 BC. He was then deported by the Neo-Assyrian king

Sargon II Sargon II (Neo-Assyrian cuneiform: , meaning "the faithful king" or "the legitimate king") was the king of the Neo-Assyrian Empire from 722 BC to his death in battle in 705. Probably the son of Tiglath-Pileser III (745–727), Sargon is general ...

. He is also mentioned in the Topada rock inscription ( :de:Felsinschrift von Topada) as one of the kings who were allied with

Wasusarma Wasusarma (Assyrian Wassurme or Uassurme, ''hieroglyphic Luwian wa/i''4''-su-SARMA-ma-sa'') was a neo-Hittite king from Tabal, who ruled from around 740/38–730 BCE. He carried the titles of great king and hero, like his father Tuwati II (m ...

of Tabal.

Aksaray Castle

the Aksaray Castle was a four-cornered, stone-built, solidly built castle on a large area, on the edge of the

Melendiz river The Melendiz River (Turkish: ''Uluırmak'' ), is a stream forming the Ihlara Valley in the territory of the Aksaray Province, Turkey. In ancient times, its name was Potamus Kapadukus (Cappadocia River). It arises from Melendiz Mountain, passes ...

. 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. The southern interior of the castle is now where Aksaray Square stands. The Kurşunlu Mosque is where Ereğlikapısı used to be. It also encompasses the

Aksaray Grand Mosque The Aksaray Grand Mosque, also known as the Ulu Mosque, is the mosque located in the city center of Aksaray. It is also known as the Karamanoğlu Mosque. It was commissioned by Mehmet I of Karaman and built between 1408 and 1409. History The Ak ...

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 the Middle Ages. The castle existed in

Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...

and Byzantine times.

Economy

Seventy percent of the local workforce is engaged in agriculture 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. There is also some industry in Aksaray city.

Ihlara Valley The Ihlara Valley (or Peristrema Valley; Turkish ''Ihlara Vadisi'') is a canyon which is 15 km long and up to 150 m deep in the southwest of the Turkish region of Cappadocia, in the municipality of Güzelyurt, Aksaray Province. The va ...

and the other tourist attractions of Cappadocia may be nearby but Aksaray has not had much success in attracting visitors to the city itself.

Climate

Aksaray has a cold semi-arid climate (BSk) under the Köppen classification and a hot-summer

continental climate Continental climates often have a significant annual variation in temperature (warm summers and cold winters). They tend to occur in the middle latitudes (40 to 55 north), within large landmasses where prevailing winds blow overland bringing som ...

(Dca) under the

Trewartha Trewartha and Andrewartha are Cornish family names (and placename, Dexter). There are places called Trewartha in the parishes of Merther, St Agnes, St Neot and Veryan. According to the ''Handbook of Cornish Names'' by G. Pawley White, "Trew ...

classification.

Sports

The

Runfire Cappadocia Ultramarathon Runfire Cappadocia Ultramarathon, shortly RFC, ( tr, Runfire Kapadokya Ultramaratonu) is an international multiday ultramarathon event of desert concept that takes place mostly across the historic Cappadocia region in central Turkey. The event ...

, a multiday

track running Track and field is a sport that includes athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name is derived from where the sport takes place, a running track and a grass field for the throwing and some of the jumping e ...

ultramarathon An ultramarathon, also called ultra distance or ultra running, is any footrace longer than the traditional marathon length of . Various distances are raced competitively, from the shortest common ultramarathon of to over . 50k and 100k are bot ...

of desert concept, has been held every July since 2012. Over six days, the race takes in a circuit of , passing through several areas of Cappadocia including Lake Tuz.

Notable residents

* Piri Mehmed Pasha Ottoman Grand Vizier 1518–1523

International relations

Aksaray is

twinned Twinning (making a twin of) may refer to: * In biology and agriculture, producing two offspring (i.e., twins) at a time, or having a tendency to do so; * Twin towns and sister cities, towns and cities involved in town twinning * Twinning inst ...

with: *

Ganja Ganja (, ; ) is one of the oldest and most commonly used synonyms for marijuana. Its usage in English dates to before 1689. Etymology ''Ganja'' is borrowed from Hindi/Urdu ( hi, गांजा, links=no, ur, , links=no, IPA: �aːɲd͡� ...

, Azerbaijan *

Venice Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 ...

, Italy *

Graz Graz (; sl, Gradec) is the capital city of the Austrian state of Styria and second-largest city in Austria after Vienna. As of 1 January 2021, it had a population of 331,562 (294,236 of whom had principal-residence status). In 2018, the popul ...

, Austria *

Sankt Pölten Sankt Pölten (; Central Bavarian: ''St. Pödn''), mostly abbreviated to the official name St. Pölten, is the capital and largest city of the State of Lower Austria in northeast Austria, with 55,538 inhabitants as of 1 January 2020. St. Pölten ...

, Austria *

Lons-le-Saunier Lons-le-Saunier () is a Communes of France, commune and capital of the Jura (department), Jura Department, eastern France. Geography The town is in the heart of the Revermont region, at the foot of the first plateau of the Jura massif. The Jur ...

, France *

Ajaccio Ajaccio (, , ; French: ; it, Aiaccio or ; co, Aiacciu , locally: ; la, Adiacium) is a French commune, prefecture of the department of Corse-du-Sud, and head office of the ''Collectivité territoriale de Corse'' (capital city of Corsica). ...

, France *

Hódmezővásárhely Hódmezővásárhely (; also known by other alternative names) is a city with county rights in southeast Hungary, on the Great Hungarian Plain, at the meeting point of the Békés-Csanádi Ridge and the clay grassland surrounding the river Tisza. ...

, Hungary * Osaka,

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

* Banska Bystrica, Slovakia *

Košice Košice ( , ; german: Kaschau ; hu, Kassa ; pl, Коszyce) is the largest city in eastern Slovakia. It is situated on the river Hornád at the eastern reaches of the Slovak Ore Mountains, near the border with Hungary. With a population of app ...

, Slovakia * Slovenska Bistrica, Slovenia * Burgas, Bulgaria * Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russian Federation * Dekemhare,

Eritrea Eritrea ( ; ti, ኤርትራ, Ertra, ; ar, إرتريا, ʾIritriyā), officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa region of Eastern Africa, with its capital and largest city at Asmara. It is bordered by Ethiopia ...

Possible sister cities *

Bandaressalam Bandar Salama is a village on the island of Mohéli (Mwali) in the Comoros The Comoros,, ' officially the Union of the Comoros,; ar, الاتحاد القمري ' is an independent country made up of three islands in southeastern Africa, ...

,

Comoros The Comoros,, ' officially the Union of the Comoros,; ar, الاتحاد القمري ' is an independent country made up of three islands in southeastern Africa, located at the northern end of the Mozambique Channel in the Indian Ocean. It ...

* Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei *

Akhalkalaki Akhalkalaki ( ka, ახალქალაქი, tr; hy, Ախալքալաք / Նոր-Քաղաք, translit=Axalk’alak’ / Nor-K’aġak’) is a town in Georgia's southern region of Samtskhe–Javakheti and the administrative centre of the Ak ...

, Georgia Proposed sister cities *

Kigali Kigali () is the Capital (political), capital and largest city of Rwanda. It is near the nation's geographic centre in a region of rolling hills, with a series of valleys and ridges joined by steep slopes. As a primate city, Kigali has been Rwa ...

,

Rwanda Rwanda (; rw, u Rwanda ), officially the Republic of Rwanda, is a landlocked country in the Great Rift Valley of Central Africa, where the African Great Lakes region and Southeast Africa converge. Located a few degrees south of the Equator ...

* Cork, Ireland

References

Sources

* * 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
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External links

Municipality's official website

Aksaray Historical Place Photos

Aksaray Weather Forecast Information

Maps of Aksaray

Encyclopedia about Aksaray Castle
{{Authority control Provincial municipalities in Turkey Populated places in Aksaray District