SOUTHEAST OF ANKARA

Founded in ancient times, Kirsehir became, in the Middle Ages, the center of the Ahi Brotherhood, a Moslem sector whose moral and social tenets played an important role in the spiritual and political life of Anatolian towns. Among Kirsehir's many fine Seljuk buildings are the Cacabey Mosque of 1272, the Alaeddin Mosque of 1230, and the Ahi Evran Mosque, near the tomb of the founder of the Ahi sect. Out of town, on the road toward Kayseri, is the attractive Asik Pasa Mausoleum which was built during the period of Mongol rule, in 1333. The Kirsehir Archeology Museum houses objects mostly from Kalehoyuk.

Cacabey Mosque, Kirsehir

A major archeological center at Kalehoyuk, in Kaman county, in the province of Kirsehir is still being excavated. Near Kalehoyurk in a center of what were Hatti and Hittite settlements, is located one of the largest parks in Turkey, the Mikasonmiya Ani Bahcesi which contains 16,500 trees of 33 different species. The road to Nevsehir and Cappadocia passes through Hacibektas, the town where Haci Bektas Veli settled and established his Bektas Sufi order in the 14th century. The whirling dervishes who followed principles of love and humanism were housed in the monastery, which includes a mausoleum and mosque. The complex is now a museum open to the public. Honey and rose-colored onyx, plentiful in the region, were used by disciples of this order. There are exquisite onyx souvenirs for sale. It is also worth stopping to take in the interesting Archeology and Ethnography Museum.

Nevsehir, a provincial capital, is the gateway to Cappadocia. In the town itself are the hilltop Seljuk castle, perched on the highest point in the city, and the Kursunlu Mosque, built for the Grand Vizier Damat Ibrahim Pasha. The mosque is part of a complex of buildings which includes a medrese (theological college), hospice and library. An ablution fountain in the courtyard still bears its original inscription. The Nevsehir Museum displays local artifacts.

Violent eruptions of the volcanoes Mt. Erciyes (3,916 meters) and Mt. Hasan (3,268 meters) long ago covered the plateau surrounding Nevsehir with tufa, a soft stone comprised of lava, ash and mud. The wind and rain have eroded this brittle rock and created a spectacular surrealistic landscape of rock cones, capped pinnacles and fretted ravines, in colors that range from warm reds and golds to cool greens and greys. Locals call these fascinating capped pinnacles "peri bacalari" or "fairy chimneys." Goreme National Park, known in Roman times as Cappadocia, is one of those rare regions in the world where the works of man blend unobtrusively into the natural surroundings. Dwellings have been hewn from the rocks as far back as 4,000 B.C. During Byzantine times, chapels and monasteries were hollowed out of the rock, their ochre-toned frescoes reflecting the hues of the surrounding landscape. Even today, cave dwellings in rock cones and village houses of volcanic tufa merge harmoniously into the landscape.

Ortahisar, Nevsehir

Urgup, a lively tourist center at the foot of a rock ridge riddled with old dwellings, serves as an excellent base from which to tour the sights of Cappadocia. In Urgup itself you can still see how people once lived in homes cut into the rock. If you wish to buy carpets and kilims, there is a wide selection available from the town's many carpet dealers, who are as colorful as their hares, offering tea, coffee or a glass of wine to their customers and engaging in friendly conversation. If sightseeing and shopping haven't exhausted you, the disco welcomes you to another kind of entertainment. At the center of a successful wine-producing region, Urgup hosts an annual International Wine Festival in October.

Leaving Urgup and heading south, you reach the lovely isolated Pancarlik Valley where you can stop to see the 12th century church with its splendid frescoes, and the Kepez church, which dates from the 10th century. Continue on to the typical village of Mustafapasa (Sinasos), where traditional stone houses with carved and decorated facades evoke a former age. Travel on in a southerly direction, just past the village of Cemil, where a footpath on the west side of the road leads to Keslik Valley where you will find a monastery complex and the Kara and Meyvali Kiliseler (churches), both decorated with frescoes. Back on the main road you find the village of Taskinpasa where the 14th century Karamanid Mosque and Mausoleum Complex, and the remains of a medrese portal on the edge of town make for a pleasant diversion. The next village is Sahinefendi where the 12th-century Kirksehitler church, adorned with beautiful frescoes, stands at the end of a footpath 500 meters east of the village.

Soganli Valley, 50 km south of Urgup, is picturesque with its innumerable chapels, churches, halls, houses and tombs. The frescoes, from the 8th to the 13th centuries, trace the development of Byzantine painting. Four km north of Urgup is the wonderful Devrent Valley, where the weather has eroded the stone into peaks, cones and obelisks called fairy chimneys.

Cappadocia

Two km west, in the Catalkaya Valley, the fairy chimneys have a peculiar mushroom-like shape, which has been adopted as a symbol of the town.

The Goreme Open-Air Museum, a monastic complex of rock churches and chapels covered with frescoes, is one of the best-known sites in central Turkey. Most of the chapels date from the 10th to the 13th centuries (the Byzantine and Seljuk periods) and many of them are built on an inscribed cross-plan with a central cupola supported by four columns. In the north annexes of several churches are cut-rock tombs. Among the most famous of the Goreme churches are the Elmali Church, the smallest and most recent of the group; the Yilanli Church with fascinating frescoes of the damned entwined in serpent coils; the Barbara Church; and the Carikli Church. A short way from the main group, the Tokali Kilise, or Buckle Church, has beautiful frescoes depicting scenes from the New Testament.

The town of Goreme is set right in the middle of a valley of cones and fairy chimneys. Some of the cafes, restaurants and guest-houses are carved into the rock. For shoppers, rugs and kilims are plentiful.

Continuing on the road out of Goreme you enter one of the most beautiful valleys in the area. Rock formations rise up before you at every turn and entice you to stop and wonder at their creation. For those who climb the steps to the top of the Uchisar fortress the whole region unfolds below. Rugs, kilims, and popular souvenirs can easily be purchased from the shops which line Uchisar's narrow streets.

Karanlik Church, Goreme, National Park

At Cavusin, on the road leading north out of Goreme you will find a triple-apse church and the monastery of St. John the Baptist. In the town are chapels and churches, and some of the rock houses are still inhabited. From Cavusin to Zelve, fairy chimneys line the road. Unfortunately, it is dangerous to visit the churches in the Zelve valley because erosion has undermined the floors.

The charming town of Avanos, on the banks of the Kizilirmak River, boasts attractive local architecture and is known for its handicrafts. Every August the town hosts an Art and Tourism Festival where a creative, 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 come-back. Leaving Avanos in a southerly direction you come to an interesting Seljuk caravanserai, Sarihan.

Akmedere, Nigde

On the Nevsehir - Urgup road you can't miss Ortahisar and its carved-rock 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 Kizilcukur Valley is breathtakingly beautiful, especially at sunset. in the valley is the 9th-century Uzumlu church.

The underground cities of Kaymakli, Mazi, Derinkuyu, Tatlarin, and Ozkonak were all used by Christians of the seventh century, who were fleeing from persecution. They sheltered from the iconoclastic strife of Byzantium as well as other invasions in these safe and well-hidden complexes. These cities were a complete and self-sufficient environment, areas 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 is the 13th-century church of St. John, and farther along is Aciksaray, where the carved rocks hide churches and chapels. West of Cappadocia, over the mountains, lies Kayseri, known as Caesarea in Roman times. The city spreads out at the foot of the extinct volcano, Mt. Erciyes (3,916 m). In the winter months the ski center has excellent runs for downhill skiers, and several pleasant hotels that cater to them. Close to the Byzantine fortress, the 13th-century Huand Hatun Mosque and Medrese, with the Mahperi Hatun Mausoleum, comprise the Huand Hatun Complex, the first Seljuk complex in Anatolia. The Medrese is now an Ethnography Museum. South of the complex, stands the beautifully decorated Doner Kumbet of 1276, a Seljuk mausoleum of classic simplicity. A major Seljuk city, Kayseri was an important center of learning and consequently, there are many medreses among the remaining historic buildings. Those interested in the Seljuk architecture should see the Cifte (Giyasiye and Sifahiye) Medrese, the first Seljuk school of anatomy, which is now the Gevher Nesibe Medical History Museum. Nearby is the lovely Sahabiye Medrese. Near the city's bedesten (covered bazaar) is the restored 12th- century Ulu Mosque. The Haci Kilic Mosque, north of the Cifte Medrese, dates from 1249. In the Cumhuriyet quarter, the 19th-century Resit Aga Mansion houses the Ataturk Museum which displays Ataturk's personal belongings.

Across from the Ataturk Museum, the historic Gupguoglu Mansion is now an Ethnography Museum.

South of Kayseri, in Develi, stand three more important Seljuk buildings: the Ulu Mosque, the Seyid-i Serif Tomb and the Develi Tomb. The nearby Sultan Marshes are the habitat of many bird species, 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 Cities. Dating from 2000 B.C., Kultepe was also one of the world's first cities of free trade. Today, however, only the foundations remain. Many of the finds can be examined in the Kayseri Archeological Museum.

On the same road is Sultanhan, a caravanserai built by the Seljuk Sultan Alaeddin Keykubat in the early 13th century and a favorite stop for tourists.

Ala Mountains, Nigde

Kapuzbasi Waterfall is 76 km south of Kayseri. In this beautiful natural site, seven different springs on the mountain face fall from heights ranging between 30 and 70 m.

Kayseri is one of the most important carpet and kilim production centers in Anatolia. Bunyan is the most famous carpet production center and Yahyali is the most famous kilim production center. Rugs woven in finely knotted floral patterns continue a centuries-old tradition. Local productions can be purchased in any of the Kayseri carpet shops.

Nigde, Nahita of Hittite times, lies in a valley flanked by volcanic peaks commanding the ancient trade route from Anatolia to the Mediterranean. Nigde's castle owes its present form to 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 Hudavend Hatun Mausoleum, an excellent example of the Anatolian tower-tomb. The 15th-century Ak Medrese now houses the Archeology Museum.

Ten km out of town is Eskigumus, a Byzantine monastery and church with massive columns and frescoes. These frescoes, dating 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 historic buildings include the Seljuk Alaeddin Mosque and the Ottoman bedesten. Farther on, in the same direction, Kemerhisar is the site of the important Roman city of Tyana. A few more kilometers brings you to some Hittite ruins and a Roman aqueduct. The beautiful Aladaglar (Ala Mountains) National Park, perfect for mountain climbing, trekking and relaxation, is 50 km southeast of Nigde. One of the highest peaks is Demirkazik (3756 m). The best place to start your excursion in the park is Cukurbag.

Most of the historic buildings in Aksaray, 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 caravanserais from the Seljuk period are in the area: 40 km west of the city is the well preserved Sultanhan Caravanserai built by the Seljuk Sultan Alaeddin Keykubat, and 15 km towards Nevsehir is the Agzikarahan Caravanserai.

Mevlana Museum, Konya

The Melendiz River, at IhIara Valley, has eroded the banks into an impressive canyon. Byzantine rock chapels covered with frescoes pierce the canyon walls. Some of the best known are the Agacalti (Daniel) Church, the Yilanli (Apocalypse) Church and the Ala Mountains, Nigde Sumbullu (Hyacinth) Church.

Guzelyurt is another valley with dwellings dating from prehistoric times. You can see the beautiful silhouette of Mt. Hasan rising like a crown above the town. The valley's underground cities, buildings carved into the rock, interesting architecture, churches, chapels and mosques embody all of the characteristics of Cappadocia and give visitors a sense of historical continuity. Guzelyurt is a popular tourist destination with hospitable residents, extensive accommodations and numerous restaurants ensuring a pleasant stay. The rest area of Evren by the Hirfanli Dam Lake offers fish restaurants, a beach and swimming.