From Ihlara Valley to Seljuk caravanserais, starting at Neva Apart
Historical Sites in Aksaray
Historical sites in Aksaray: Seljuk and Karamanid mosques, the Crooked Minaret, the Zinciriye Madrasa, the Tomb of Somuncu Baba, Selime Cathedral, the Red Church, Çanlı Kilise and underground cities — with history, architecture and directions from Neva Apart.
8 places in this category.
Map directions start from Neva Apart.
Selime Cathedral and Rock Monastery
At the northern end of Ihlara Valley, a rock-cut monastery with a three-aisled cathedral, kitchens and stables — one of the largest religious buildings in Cappadocia.
- By car: 35–40 min
Zinciriye Madrasa
Built in 1336 under the Karamanids, with a four-iwan courtyard plan and castle-like crenellated walls — the only historic madrasa still standing in Aksaray.
- On foot: 2 min
- By car: 1 min
Grand Mosque of Aksaray (Ulu Cami)
Built in 1408–1409 for Mehmed II of Karaman, Aksaray’s Grand Mosque pairs a Seljuk-style carved portal with a pointed-arched stone prayer hall.
- On foot: 5 min
- By car: 2 min
Crooked Minaret (Eğri Minare)
A red-brick Seljuk minaret built under Sultan Alaeddin Kayqubad I (1221–1237) whose pronounced lean made it the symbol of Aksaray.
- On foot: 10 min
- By car: 3 min
Red Church (Kızıl Kilise)
Near Sivrihisar village in Güzelyurt, a 6th-century church of reddish volcanic stone — one of the oldest churches in Cappadocia with a dome on a windowed drum.
- By car: 50–60 min
Çanlı Kilise and Rock-Cut Settlement
Near Akhisar village, a 10th–11th-century Byzantine church and a rock-cut settlement of courtyard mansions facing Mount Hasan.
- By car: 25 min
Tomb of Somuncu Baba
The Aksaray tomb of Sheikh Hamid-i Veli, known as Somuncu Baba (1331–1412) — the Sufi master of Hacı Bayram-ı Veli.
- On foot: 15 min
- By car: 5 min
Saratlı Kırkgöz Underground City
Beneath the town of Saratlı in Gülağaç, an underground settlement of galleries, rooms and narrow passages carved into Cappadocian tuff.
- By car: 30–35 min
Aksaray guide
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