Jump to content

Güzelyurt

Coordinates: 38°16′38″N 34°22′19″E / 38.27722°N 34.37194°E / 38.27722; 34.37194
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 188.119.21.29 (talk) at 12:22, 14 September 2024. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

For other places with the same name, see Güzelyurt (disambiguation).
Güzelyurt
Municipality
Güzelyurt is located in Turkey
Güzelyurt
Güzelyurt
Location in Turkey
Güzelyurt is located in Turkey Central Anatolia
Güzelyurt
Güzelyurt
Güzelyurt (Turkey Central Anatolia)
Coordinates: 38°16′38″N 34°22′19″E / 38.27722°N 34.37194°E / 38.27722; 34.37194
CountryTurkey
ProvinceAksaray
DistrictGüzelyurt
Government
 • MayorÜnal Demircioğlu (AKP)
Elevation
1,485 m (4,872 ft)
Population
 (2021)[1]
2,570
Time zoneUTC+3 (TRT)
Area code0382
Websitewww.guzelyurt.bel.tr

Güzelyurt, meaning 'beautiful homeland', is a town in Aksaray Province in the Central Anatolia region of Turkey, at a distance of 45 km (28 mi) from the city of Aksaray. It is the seat of Güzelyurt District.[2] Its population is 2,570 (2021).[1] Its elevation is 1,485 m (4,872 ft).

This area is part of the ancient region of Cappadocia, near the Ihlara Valley.

History

Cappadocia has an important place in the history of Christianity and Gregory of Nazianzus lived in the area. A historically large native Cappadocian Greek population existed in the area until the 1924 population exchange (see Cappadocian Greeks), when they were replaced with the Turks from Thessaloniki and Kavala. The monastery, churches, refuge caves, and mansions attest to the culture of the Cappadocian Greek population.[3]

Places of interest

Güzelyurt is known for having three underground cities and over 50 churches carved into the rocky volcanic landscape including:

  • Ihlara Valley
  • Monastery Valley, "Manastır Vadisi"
  • Fairy Chimneys, "Peri Bacaları"
  • Antique Greek houses
  • Ahmatlı Church
  • St. Anargiros Church, "Sivişli Kilise"
  • Koç Church
  • Cathedral of Selime
  • The rock monastery of Selime, one of the largest religious buildings in Cappadocia.
  • Kızıl Kilise, "St. Spyridon Church" - a 5th or 6th century church (with an inscription dated to 1084) in the village of Sivrihisar.
  • St. Analipsis Church, "Yüksek Kilise" (High Church) on the hill of Analipsis. Stone age relics have been found nearby.
  • St. Gregorius Church, "Kilise Cami" - another rock-hewn church, in use today as a mosque
  • Kalburlu Kilisesi ('Sieve church', also called St. Epthemios Church').
  • Kömürlü Kilise, dedicated to St. Anargyros in the Monastery valley close to the Kalburlu church.
  • Çömlekçi Kilise, near the Koç church.

Other places of interest include:

  • The tomb of Selime Sultan in the village of Selime.
  • Linseed House, "Bezirhane" in the village of Belisırma.
  • The Priests House, also known as Papaz Evi.
  • Ziga thermal springs, "Ziga kaplıcaları" is located in the village of Yaprakhisar very close to Ihlara Valley.
  • Güzelyurt Pond Dam (Göleti)
  • An underground city is situated in Gaziemir village of Güzelyurt.[4]
  • Ihlara Valley
    Ihlara Valley
  • St. Gregorius Church
    St. Gregorius Church
  • Kizil Kilise, meaning “Red Church” in Güzelyurt
    Kizil Kilise, meaning “Red Church” in Güzelyurt
  • A church in Ihlara Valley
    A church in Ihlara Valley
  • Historic houses in Güzelyurt
    Historic houses in Güzelyurt

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Address-based population registration system (ADNKS) results dated 31 December 2021" (XLS) (in Turkish). TÜİK. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
  2. ^ İlçe Belediyesi, Turkey Civil Administration Departments Inventory. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
  3. ^ Güzelyurt becomes a touristic hub. AKSARAY - Anatolia News Agency. July 17, 2012. In the town of Güzelyurt in Aksaray Province in the Central Anatolian region of Turkey, 250-year-old arched stone mansions have been transformed into boutique hotels to serve tourists coming to discover the area's cultural and historical treasures. The town is an important part of the historical Cappadocia region…Much of the previously large Greek population in Güzelyurt vanished with the population exchange of the 1920s. "With the population exchange in 1924, Greeks and Turks exchanged places. Before the population exchange, rich Greeks dealing with trade in Istanbul had historical mansions in Güzelyurt," Özeş said. Some houses in the town date back 250 years and a few 100-year-old historical houses also exist, according to Özeş. "They have extremely thick walls. The height of the arches is nearly four to five meters. Each of the houses is a work of art creating an authentic environment."
  4. ^ Governorship of Aksaray, Turkey. "Underground cities in Aksaray". Archived from the original on March 7, 2008. Retrieved 2008-04-02.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Güzelyurt.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Güzelyurt&oldid=1245671459"