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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 of green space and gardens around the houses. Its people generally tend to be religious and conservative. Medieval monuments are scattered about the centre of the town, especially around the market place. The nearest airport is Nevşehir Kapadokya Airport (NAV) which is 90.6 km (50.6 miles) away.


History

Niğde is located near a number of ancient trade routes, particularly the road from
Kayseri Kayseri (; el, Καισάρεια) is a large Industrialisation, industrialised List of cities in Turkey, city in Central Anatolia, Turkey, and the capital of Kayseri Province, Kayseri province. The Kayseri Metropolitan Municipality area is comp ...
(ancient
Caesarea Mazaca Caesarea ( /ˌsɛzəˈriːə, ˌsɛsəˈriːə, ˌsiːzəˈriːə/; el, Καισάρεια, Kaisareia) also known historically as Mazaca ( el, Μάζακα) was an ancient city in what is now Kayseri, Turkey. In Hellenistic and Roman times, the ...
) to the Cilician Gates and thence to the Mediterranean coast. The area has been settled by Hittites,
Assyrians Assyrian may refer to: * Assyrian people, the indigenous ethnic group of Mesopotamia. * Assyria, a major Mesopotamian kingdom and empire. ** Early Assyrian Period ** Old Assyrian Period ** Middle Assyrian Empire ** Neo-Assyrian Empire * Assyrian ...
, Greeks, Armenians, Romans, Byzantines and Turks. In the early Middle Ages, it was known as Magida ( el, Μαγίδα), and was settled by the remaining inhabitants of nearby Tyana after it fell to the Arabs in 708/709. By the early 13th century Niğde was one of the largest cities in Anatolia. After the fall of the
Sultanate of Rûm fa, سلجوقیان روم () , status = , government_type = Hereditary monarchy Triarchy (1249–1254)Diarchy (1257–1262) , year_start = 1077 , year_end = 1308 , p1 = ...
(of which it had been one of the principal cities), Niğde was captured by
Anatolian beyliks Anatolian beyliks ( tr, Anadolu beylikleri, Ottoman Turkish: ''Tavâif-i mülûk'', ''Beylik'' ) were small principalities (or petty kingdoms) in Anatolia governed by beys, the first of which were founded at the end of the 11th century. A secon ...
such as the
Karaman Beylik 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 ...
and
Eretna Beylik The Eretnids ( tr, Eretna Beyliği) were an Anatolian beylik that succeeded the Ilkhanid governors in Anatolia and that ruled in a large region extending between Caesarea (Kayseri), Sebastea (Sivas) and Amaseia (Amasya) in Central Anatolia between ...
. Passing through in the 14th century, the explorer
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, ...
reported it ruinous. It did not pass into Ottoman hands until 1467. According to the Ottoman population statistics of 1914, the sanjak of
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 ...
, then part of the Konya Vilayet, had a total population of 291,117, consisting of 227,100 Muslims, 58,312 Greeks, 4,935 Armenians and 769
Protestants Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century against what its followers perceived to b ...
. The demographics of the town of Niğde, which was part of the Niğde sanjak, consisted of 52.754 Muslims, 26.156 Greeks, 1.149 Armenians and 137 Protestants. Most of the Christian population of late 19th-century Niğde lived in the Eski Saray Mahallesi near the Sungur Bey Mosque where the remains of two large stone churches still survive in a neglected condition.


Republican era

More recent immigrants include Turks from Bulgaria and other Balkan countries, who were settled here by the Turkish authorities in the 1950s and 1960s. The opening of Niğde University in 1992 started to bring more cultural and social amenities to what was at the time essentially a large town with a rather rural feel to it.


Geography


Climate

Niğde has a cold semi-arid climate ( Köppen: ''BSk'',
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 ...
: ''BS''), bordering on a
temperate continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freezing ...
( Köppen: ''Dsa'',
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 ...
: ''Dc''). Niğde has hot, dry summers and cold, snowy winters.


Geology

The town is located between the volcanic Melandiz Mountains, which include the Mount Hasan
Stratovolcano A stratovolcano, also known as a composite volcano, is a conical volcano built up by many layers (strata) of hardened lava and tephra. Unlike shield volcanoes, stratovolcanoes are characterized by a steep profile with a summit crater and per ...
near the city of Aksaray to the north, and the Niğde Massif to the south-southeast. The massif is a metamorphic rock dome that contains abandoned antimony and iron mines. Several marble quarries are currently being used to dig out the pure white crystalline marble of the massif.


Sightseeing


In town

*Sungur Bey Mosque, a unique early 14th-century mosque in the town centre which combines elements of Selçuk and Gothic architecture, including quadripartite vaulting and a rose window. Standing on a platform above the market place, it was recently restored. * Alaaddin Mosque, a 13th-century mosque whose portal is decorated with muqarnas. Shadows cast on the stone masonry around the entrance at a specific time on specific days of the year are said to form an image of a woman's face with a crown and long hair (Islam forbade human imagery but tessellations and calligraphic pictures were allowed, so "accidental" silhouettes became a creative escape). *
Hudavend Hatun Türbe Hudavend Hatun Türbe or Huvand Hatun Türbe is a 14th-century Seljuk Kümbet in Nigde, Turkey. Architecture It was built as a Türbe (tomb) for Hudavend Hatun, the daughter of Kilij Arslan IV in 1312.The Dragon in Medieval East Christian and ...
, the finest of several Selçuk tombs in the centre of Niğde, dates back to the early 14th century. * Ak Medrese (White Medrese), built in 1409 during the years when the Karamanoğlu dynasty ruled Niğde. * Niğde Castle (Niğde Kalesi) looms above the town, its location made obvious by a clocktower (1902) inside it. It dates back in part to Selçuk times. Its interior is now a public park. *
Niğde Archaeological Museum Niğde Archaeological Museum () is located in the centre of the Turkish provincial capital, Niğde between ''Dışarı Cami Sokak'' and ''Öğretmenler Caddesi''. It contains objects found at sites in the surrounding area, including the tell of K ...
, one of whose star attractions is the
Niğde Stele The Niğde Stele is a Neo-Hittite monument from the modern Turkish city of Niğde, which dates from the end of the 8th century BC. Discovery The stele was found on 27 September 1975 near the Citadel of Niğde in the Çelebi Hüsamettin Bey Mo ...
which was recovered from the Dışarı Mosque where it was being used as a door lintel.


Around town

* Eski Gümüşler Monastery, a rock-cut frescoed monastery built by the Byzantines and containing unique paintings of stories from Aesop's Fables. It was only rediscovered in 1963 * Kemerhisar, the site of ancient Tyana, especially noted for a lengthy surviving stretch of Roman aqueduct. * Aladağlar and
Bolkar Mountains Bolkar Mountains, also known as Bulgar Dagh or Bolghar Dagh, are a mountain range situated in the middle part of the Taurus mountains complex in southern Turkey bounded by the Göksu River to the west and the Pozantı River to the east. The no ...
, which are popular with mountaineers and trekkers. * Çiniligöl *
Çiftehan Çiftehan is a resort village in Ulukışla District, Niğde Province, Turkey. Its population is 958 (2022). Before the 2013 reorganisation, it was a town (''belde''). Geography Çiftehan is in the Toros Mountains at an altitude of about , no ...
thermal springs


Gallery

File:Nigde Alaadin mosque 1251.jpg, Portal of Alaadin Mosque, Niğde File:Nigde Gundogdu mausoleum 1276.jpg, Gündoğdü türbe (tomb), Niğde File:Nigde 060.jpg, Sungurbey Mosque and mausoleum, Niğde File:Nigde Town view 1293.jpg, Hükümet Meydan (Government Square) in Niğde File:Yelatan Aladağlar 07.jpg, Aladağlar (Ala Mountains), near Niğde File:Yelatan Aladağlar 01.jpg, Aladağlar (Ala Mountains), near Niğde File:Yelatan Aladağlar 06.jpg, Aladağlar (Ala Mountains), near Niğde File:Gumusler Monastery Courtyard 1202.jpg, Eski Gümüşler Monastery, near Niğde File:Niğde kalesi ve saat kulesi.jpg, Niğde Castle and Clock tower File:Çiftehan, Niğde, Turkey.jpg, Çiftehan File:Tyana, Cappadocia, Turkey (37581916866).jpg, Ruins of Roman aqueduct in Tyana (Kemerhisar), near Niğde File:TyanaAquädukt2.jpg, Ruins of Tyana (Kemerhisar) aqueduct, near Niğde File:Tyana, Cappadocia, Turkey (37630877571).jpg, Ancient Tyana File:Tyana, Cappadocia, Turkey (23777522658).jpg, Roman pool in ancient Tyana (Kemerhisar), near Niğde File:Nigde Hudavent Hatun mausoleum 1269.jpg, Hüdavent Hatun Mausoleum, Niğde File:Nigde museum Porsuk inscription Late Hittite 8th BC 0922.jpg, Late Hittite inscription from Porsuk (8th century) in Nigde museum File:NigdeMuseumTyana.jpg, Finds from Tyana in Niğde Museum File:NigdeMuseumKösk1.jpg, Niğde Museum File:NigdeMuseumMumieIhlara1.jpg, Niğde Museum: mummy thought to be of 1000-year-old nun File:The 'Nigde' Carpet MET DP170574.jpg, Niğde Carpet File:Kirche Küçükköy 07.jpg, Inside Küçükköy Church


Notable people

*
Abdullah Durak Abdullah Durak (born 1 April 1987 in Niğde, Turkey) is a Turkish professional Association football, footballer who currently plays as a central midfielder for MKE Ankaragücü, Ankaragücü. References External links

* 1987 births Peo ...
, footballer *
Ayhan Şahenk Ayhan Şahenk (11 June 1929 – 1 April 2001) was a Turkish businessman and founder of the Doğuş Group. Father of the current chairman of Dogus Holding Ferit Şahenk Ferit Şahenk (, born 1964) is the Chairman of Turkey's Doğuş Group and ...
, businessman * Nükhet Duru, singer *
Emre Altuğ Niyazi Emre Altuğ (born 14 April 1969) is Turkish actor and singer. Biography Emre Altug was born in Levent, Beşiktaş, Istanbul as the second son to a housewife mother and dentist father. His family is of Niğde origiHe graduated from thea ...
, Singer and actor * Ebubekir Hazım Tepeyranbr>
* , (1934-2014), Member of Parliament (1977-1980) from the Nigde District * Yıldız Kenter, actress *
Leonidas Kestekides Leonidas Kestekides (1876 - 1948) was an Ottoman empire-born Belgian chocolate manufacturer, founder of the internationally famous Leonidas company in Belgium. The company's primary focus is pralines (chocolate shells with soft fillings), but th ...
(1876–1954), a Cappadocian Greek chocolate manufacturer from Nigde, Cappadocia and founder of the internationally famous Leonidas company in Belgium *
Petros Petridis Petros, the original Greek and Coptic version of the name Peter, meaning "stone" or "rock", may refer to: People * Petros (given name) * Petros (surname) * Petros (footballer), Brazilian footballer Petros Matheus dos Santos Araújo (born 1989 ...
(1892–1977), prominent Cappadocian Greek composer and conductor, born in Nigde (Cappodocia) *
Thanassis P. Aghnidès Thanasis (Θανάσης) is a Greek given name, short for Athanasios (Αθανάσιος), which can mean "eternal life" or "immortal". Notable people with the name Thanasis or Thanassis include: *Thanasis Antetokounmpo (born 1992), Greek baske ...
, (1889–1980), born in family estates (Kayabashi), graduated from Université Impériale de Constantinople with a law degree and the Sorbonne in Paris, France. He was a Greek-Ottoman diplomat, joined the SDN in 1919 and became undersecretary Geneva 1938-1942, chairman of the disarmament section at U.N. 1946-1960. He also served as Greek ambassador to the Court of St James in London 1942-1945. *
Elie P. Aghnidès Elie and Earlsferry is a coastal town and former royal burgh in Fife, and parish, Scotland, situated within the East Neuk beside Chapel Ness on the north coast of the Firth of Forth, eight miles east of Leven. The burgh comprised the linked vil ...
(1901–1988), iInventor, best known of his inventions is the faucet aerator and the massage shower. Another of his inventions was the Rhino, an amphibious, 5-ton, 4-wheeled vehicle designed for multiple terrains. The prototype was built by Marmon-Harrington in Indianapolis. *
Nicholas P. Aghnidès Nicholas is a male given name and a surname. The Eastern Orthodox Church, the Roman Catholic Church, and the Anglican Churches celebrate Saint Nicholas every year on December 6, which is the name day for "Nicholas". In Greece, the name and its ...
, (1883–1974), author, Professor at Columbia University best seller Mohammedan Theories of finance.


See also

* Anatolian Tigers *
Niğde Stele The Niğde Stele is a Neo-Hittite monument from the modern Turkish city of Niğde, which dates from the end of the 8th century BC. Discovery The stele was found on 27 September 1975 near the Citadel of Niğde in the Çelebi Hüsamettin Bey Mo ...


References

*


External links


District governor's official website

District municipality's official website

Yesilburç Village

A web portal of Niğde
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nigde Cappadocia Populated places in Niğde Province Districts of Niğde Province World Heritage Tentative List for Turkey