AVANOS
The charming
town of Avanos, on the banks of the Kizilirmak River, displays attractive
vernacular architecture and is known for its handicrafts. Every August
the town hosts an Art and Tourism Festival where a creative and friendly
atmosphere pervades. Pottery is the most popular handicraft and it is usually
possible to try your hand at making a pot in one of the many studios. Rug
weaving and knotting is also making a revival. Leaving Avanos in a southerly
direction you come to an interesting Seljuk caravansary.
ORTAHISAR
On the Nevsehir - Urgup road you can't miss Ortahisar and its rock carved fortress. The churches in the Balkan Valley are some of the oldest in the Goreme region. In the neighboring Hallac Valley, the Hallac Monastery displays decorations from the 10th and the 11th centuries. North of Ortahisar, the Kizilçukur Valley is breathtakingly beautiful especially at sunset. In the valley is the 9th century Uzumlu church.
The underground cities of Kaymakli, Mazi, Derinkuyu and Ozkonak were all used by the Christians of the seventh century as places of retreat in order to escape persecution. They fled from the iconoclastic strife of Byzantium as well as other invasions in these safe and well hidden metropolises. A complete environment, these cities included rooms for grain storage, stables, sleeping chambers, kitchens and air shafts. Today they are well lit and an essential and fascinating part of a Cappadocian tour. West of Avanos, Gulsehir has Hittite rock inscriptions, and nearby, at Gokcetepe, there is a bas relief of Zeus. South on the Nevsehir road brings you to the 13th century church of St. John, and farther along is Aciksaray where the carved rocks hold churches and chapels. For the tours in Cappadocia region please check our tour page.
West
of Cappadocia, over the mountains, 
lies
Kayseri, known as Caesarea in Roman times. The city spreads out at the
foot of Mt. Erciyes (3916 meters), an extinct volcano. In the winter months
the ski center has excellent runs for downhill skiers. Close to the Byzantine
fortress the 13th century Huant Mosque and Medrese and the Mahperi Hatun
Mausoleum comprise the first Seljuk complex in Anatolia. South of the complex
stand the beautifully decorated Doner Kumbet of 1276, the Archaeological
Museum and the Kosk Medrese, a Mongol building of classic simplicity. A
major Seljuk city, Kayseri was an important center of learning and consequently
there are many medreses among the remaining historical buildings. Those
interested in this particular architectural form should see the Cifte Medrese,
the first medieval school of anatomy and the lovely Sahabiye Medrese. Near
the city's bedestan is the restored 12th century Ulu Mosque. The Haci Kilic
Mosque, north of the Cifte Medrese, dates from 1249. Rugs woven n finely
knotted floral patterns continue a centuries old tradition. Local production
can be purchased in any of the town's carpet shops. South of Kayseri, in
Develi, stand three more important Seljuk buildings: the Ulu Mosque, the
Seyid-i Serif Tomb and the Develi Tomb. Nearby, the Sultan Marshes, the
habitat of many species of bird, are of interest both to ornithologists
and nature lovers.
North of Kayseri, Kultepe, known in ancient times as Kanesh or Karum was one of the earliest Hittite commercial trade cities. Today, however, only the foundations remain. Many of the finds can be examined in the Kültepe Museum as well as in the Kayseri Archaeological Museum. On the same road is Sultan Han, a caravansary built by the Seljuk Sultan Alaeddin Keykubat in the early 13th century and a favorite stop for tourists.
Nigde,
the Nahita of Hittite times, lies in a valley flanked by volcanic peaks
and commands the ancient trade route from Anatolia to the Mediterranean.
Nigde's castle owes its present form o the Seljuks, and the elegant Alaeddin
Mosque dates from the same period. From the 14th century era of Mongol
rule are the Sungur Bey Mosque and the Hudavendi Hatun Mausoleum, an excellent
example of the Anatolian tomb tower. The 15th century Ak Medrese now houses
the Archaeological Museum. Ten kilometers out of town is Eskigumus, a Byzantine
monastery and church with massive columns and frescoes. These frescoes,
which date from the 10th and the 11th centuries, are among the best preserved
in the region. Bor, south of Nigde, was once a Hittite settlement. The
town's historical buildings include the Seljuk Alaeddin Mosque and the
Ottoman bedestan. Farther on, in the same direction, Kemerhisar s the site
of the important Roman city of Tyana. A few more kilometers brings you
to some Hittite ruins and a Roman aqueduct. Most of the historical buildings
in Aksaray, west of Nigde and south of Cappadocia, such as the Ulu Mosque,
date from the 14th century. The Kizil Minaret is noted for its attractive
decorative brickwork. Two of the most famous caravansaries from the Seljuk
period remain in the environs. Just 40 km west of the city is the well
preserved Sultanhan Caravansary built by the Seljuk Sultan Alaeddin Keykubat,
and 15 km towards Nevsehir is the Agzikarahan Caravansary.
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