Aksaray Province

Cappadocia (/kæpəˈdoʊʃəˌ -ˈdoʊkiə/; Turkish: Kapadokya, from Greek: Καππαδοκία) is a historical region in Central Anatolia region, Turkey. It is largely in the provinces of Nevşehir, Kayseri, Aksaray, Kırşehir, Sivas and Niğde. Today, the touristic Cappadocia Region is located in Nevşehir province.

According to Herodotus, in the time of the Ionian Revolt (499 BC), the Cappadocians were reported as occupying a region from the Taurus Mountains to the vicinity of the Euxine (Black Sea). Cappadocia, in this sense, was bounded in the south by the chain of mountains that separate it from Cilicia, to the east by the upper Euphrates, to the north by the Pontus, and to the west by Lycaonia and eastern Galatia.

Nevşehir Province (Turkish: Nevşehir ili) is a province in central Turkey with its capital in Nevşehir. Its area is 5,485 km, and its population is 317,952 (2024). Its adjacent provinces are Kırşehir to the northwest, Aksaray to the southwest, Niğde to the south, Kayseri to the southeast, and Yozgat to the northeast. Nevşehir includes the area called Cappadocia – a tourist attraction in Turkey. The town of Göreme is also located in Nevşehir. Nevşehir was declared a World Peace City by the United Nations.

Cappadocia once included the area now covered by this province. This province is notable for the fairy chimneys of Göreme, the Ortahisar (middle fortress), and a number of old churches from the Byzantine period.

Niğde Province (Turkish: Niğde ili) is a province in the southern part of Central Anatolia, Turkey. Its area is 7,234 km, and its population is 365,419 (2022) of which 170,511 live in the city of Niğde. The population was 348,081 in 2000 and 305,861 in 1990. Neighbouring provinces are Kayseri, Adana, Mersin, Konya, Aksaray and Nevşehir.

The province is surrounded on three sides by mountain ranges: the Taurus Mountains, Mount Hasan, and the Melendiz Mountains.

Aksaray (pronounced [ˈaksaɾaj]) is a city in the Central Anatolia region of Turkey. It is the seat of Aksaray Province and Aksaray District. Its population is 247,147 (2021). In 2021 the province had an estimated population of 429,069 distributed over about 7,659 km (2,957 sq mi). The average elevation is 980 m (3,215 ft), with the highest point being Mt. Hasan (Turkish: Hasan Dağı) at 3,268 m (10,722 ft).

The city of Aksaray has a long history and was an important stopover point on the Silk Road that transited Anatolia for centuries. It is a mid-sized city with the Melendiz river running through it and several monuments dating back to the pre-Ottoman era as well as some impressive examples of government buildings from the early Turkish Republic that are gathered around the main square.

Aksaray District (also: Merkez, meaning "central") is a district of Aksaray Province of Turkey. Its seat is the city Aksaray. Its area is 3,540 km, and its population is 315,222 (2021).

The Melendiz River (Turkish: Uluırmak ), is a stream forming the Ihlara Valley in the territory of the Aksaray Province, Turkey. In ancient times, its name was Potamus Kapadukus (Cappadocia River). It arises from Melendiz Mountain (Mt. Melendós in antiquity), passes through Ihlara Valley and Aksaray city center and empties into Tuz Lake.

It is formed by the merging of springs and streams from the skirts of Melendiz Mountain. The catchment area (basin) is 565.2 km². The annual average flow in Selime Village is 72.99 hm³. The flow decreases in summer and increases with spring rains. Since it is fed from sources, it does not dry completely in summer. Its length is 60 km. The flow coefficient is 0.141. In the permeable terrain with Tuff, the majority of precipitation does not appear to run off.

Nora (Ancient Greek: τὰ Νῶρα) was a mountain fortress and town of ancient Cappadocia, on the frontiers of Lycaonia. Located at the foot of Mount Taurus, in which Eumenes was for a whole winter besieged by Antigonus (319 BC), before he escaped. In Strabo's time it was called Neroassus or Neroassos (Νηροασσός), and served as a treasury to Sicinus, who was striving to obtain the sovereignty of Cappadocia.

Its site is tentatively located near Gelin tepe in (Aksaray Province), a small mound lying c. 3.5 km (2.2 mi) east to the modern town of Güzelyurt and behind the village of Sivrihisar Asiatic Turkey.