Where to go in the historical and cultural structure in Aksaray, Turkey, where are the touristic places to visit.
Aksaray Places to Visit in
Many people traveling from eastern Turkey to Cappadocia by their own car or bus pass through Aksaray. If you wish, you can visit Aksaray during your journey, or even consider staying overnight.
Aksaray, one of the cities in the Central Anatolia region, is located in the junction area of Cappadocia and Konya Basin. It is one of the provinces that became a city in 1989 and currently has 8 districts. Only 1 of these districts is accepted as the central district.
Where does the name Aksaray come from?
Looking at the history of the name Aksaray, it is seen that it dates back to about 1000 years. It was named after the king of the period, Archeleos, and the name Archelais began to be used. However, with the arrival of the Turks in Anatolia, the name became Turkish and became Aksaray.
Many travelers, especially Evliya Çelebi, have mentioned Aksaray's name in their books. Although there are rumors that the name comes from the white-colored palace built during the Ottoman period, there is no official document on this subject.
History of Aksaray
Looking at the history of Aksaray, it is seen that it dates back to the first age. The region, also known as Garsuara in history, was extremely important during the Roman period. Being in the middle of trade routes accelerated the development of the city. It also contributed to the development of historical ages by increasing interactions between civilizations.
Many wars were fought in the region and Aksaray became one of the reasons for the wars between Byzantium and Muslims. After the Battle of Manzikert in 1071, the Turks were met.
Although the region has hosted various civilizations for thousands of years, most of the works of these periods have not survived until today. After the Arab siege, the artifacts from the past were completely destroyed.
In Aksaray, one of the most important cities of the Anatolian Seljuk state, wars took place between the Timurs and the Seljuks. Although it was besieged during the time of Yıldırım Beyazıt, it was again captured by the Timurs. Finally, it passed into the hands of the Turks during the reign of Mehmet the Conqueror and has not changed hands since then.
Although it was a province in the first periods of the Republic, it was later connected to Niğde. Finally, it regained the provincial title in 1989.
Is Aksaray a Big City?
It is not possible to say that Aksaray is a big city. Its population is around 400,000. Most of this population is concentrated in the city center. Only 20% of the population lives outside the central district. Its surface area is 7500 square kilometers.
Aksaray Transportation Facilities
Aksaray is a city that mostly benefits from the transportation opportunities of the surrounding provinces. Although it does not have its own airport, it is very close to Nevşehir. For this reason, those who want to fly to Aksaray usually use Cappadocia Airport. It is possible to reach the airport with a 1-hour journey. In addition, HAVAŞ organizes regular flights between Nevşehir and Aksaray.
Bus services are quite frequent. Since Aksaray is on the route of various cities, many flights are organized especially from cities such as Ankara and Istanbul. You can also easily reach the region with your own vehicle. The roads are extremely comfortable and you can easily reach them by using the navigation applications.
Urban transportation in Aksaray is also very easy. Since it is not a big city, you can walk to many places to visit and see. In addition, buses and minibuses operate regularly. Public transportation vehicles operate until 23.00 to the busy points. You won't have any problems finding a taxi either.
Aksaray Livelihoods
Livestock and agriculture are the main sources of livelihood of Aksaray. It is particularly successful in the production of grains such as wheat and barley. Turkey's contribution to grain production is great. It has also developed in the field of small cattle breeding.
There are many grazing lands in the districts and there are large state subsidized breeding farms. In addition to agriculture and animal husbandry, the people are also interested in weaving. Although its industry is not very developed, Otomarsan engine factory makes a great contribution to the employment of young people. Kaolin ore is also mined in the region. Since this mine is used in the production of ceramics, ceramic production enterprises were also established in Aksaray.
https://tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aksaray
