Güzelyurt (Cappadocia)
| Güzelyurt | ||||
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 Güzelyurt with reservoir and Yüksek Kilise |
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| Basic data | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Province (il) : | Aksaray | |||
| Coordinates : | 38 ° 17 ' N , 34 ° 22' E | |||
| Residents : | 2,826 (2018) | |||
| Telephone code : | (+90) 382 | |||
| Postal code : | 68 500 | |||
| License plate : | 68 | |||
| Structure and administration (as of 2019) | ||||
| Structure : | 4 malls | |||
| Mayor : | Ünal Demircioğlu ( AKP ) | |||
| Website: | ||||
| Güzelyurt district | ||||
| Residents : | 11,761 (2018) | |||
| Surface: | 285 km² | |||
| Population density : | 41 inhabitants per km² | |||
| Kaymakam : | Fatih Kaşikci | |||
| Website (Kaymakam): | ||||
Güzelyurt ( Turkish for beautiful homeland ) is the capital of a district in southwest Cappadocia in the Turkish province of Aksaray . Güzelyurt is 40 km east of the provincial capital Aksaray . About 24 percent of the district population is in the district town.
The district was founded in 1989 and includes the district town as well as the municipalities ( Belde ) Ihlara (2.4710) and Selime (2.018 Ew.). The district also includes eight villages ( Köy ), two of which have over 1,000 inhabitants: Gazİemİr (1,243) and Ilisu (1,045 inhabitants). An average of 563 people populate each village.
history
In the third century AD, the place was populated by various Christian monastic communities under the name Karballa. In the fourth century Bishop Gregor von Nazianz , who was known as the Cappadocian church father and was born in nearby Arianzos , grew up here . Until the beginning of the 20th century, Güzelyurt was settled by Greeks under the name Gelveri and is known for pottery and goldsmithing. Over a hundred churches were built during this time. After the Greek residents were relocated in 1923 as part of the Greek-Turkish population exchange , Turkish families from the Greek cities of Kastoria and Kozani were settled here, giving the place the name Güzelyurt (beautiful homeland) .
Attractions
In the south of the place lies the monastery valley of Güzelyurt (Manastır Vadısı) with numerous cave churches and monastery complexes carved into the tuff. Five kilometers to the west near a reservoir is the fortress-like Yüksek Kilise (High Church) from the 19th century, whose frescoes were painted over in Muslim times, to the east is the also elevated Kızıl Kilise (Red Church) , which takes its name from the reddish one Has masonry. The origin of the masonry is still unknown today. It was created between the fifth and seventh centuries, and almost nothing has survived from its fresco decorations. There are three underground cities in the vicinity , another has its entrance directly on the city's market square, it has been converted into a disco.
About six kilometers to the southwest is the Ihlara valley with numerous rock churches .
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Nufusune.com , accessed April 15, 2019
- ↑ Güzelyurt (Gelveri) / Turkey ( Memento of the original from July 20, 2010 on WebCite ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
literature
- Peter Daners, Volker Ohl: Cappadocia . Dumont, 1996, ISBN 3-7701-3256-4
- Michael Bussmann / Gabriele Tröger: Turkey . Michael Müller Verlag 2004 ISBN 3-89953-125-6
