Aksaray

Aksaray region was an important stopover along the Silk Road that crossed through Anatolia for centuries and the city of Aksaray has a long history.

The Roman town Garsaura was named Archelaïs by Archelaos, the last Cappadocian king. The region came under the control of the Seljuk Turks after the Battle of Malazgirt (Battle of Manzikert) and the Anatolian Seljuk Sultanate they founded left important landmarks in and around Aksaray. The Arab traveller Ibn Battuta who was in the region in the 14th century was impressed by the class of Muslim traders that had emerged in Aksaray and noted the urban center as a beautiful city, surrounded by waterways and gardens, with a water supply coming right to the houses of the city.

Historically, this was never an important city, living on the income generated by its location, situated at the crossroads of two transverse roads: Tarsus-Ankara and Konya-Sivas.

Aksaray was incorporated into the Ottoman Empire in 1470 by the İshak Pasha, and many inhabitants of the city were relocated in İstanbul, recently captured by the Ottomans, where they were settled in a quarter of the city that came to be named Aksaray.

Today Aksaray is a quiet mid-size city. In recent past, many inhabitants migrated to Britain, Germany and other European for job opportunities.

Ihlara Valley and the other tourist attractions of Cappadocia are close, but as yet, Aksaray has not been very successful in attracting visitors to the city self. A the new attraction in Aksaray city is Hünkarland, a large theme park with artificial waterfalls and which has immediately become a popular venue for Aksaray wedding parties.