Gülsehir
Encyclopedia
Gülşehir, formerly Arapsun, ancient Zoropassos (Ancient Greek
: Ζωρόπασος), is a town and district of Nevşehir Province
in the Central Anatolia region of Turkey
, in the vicinity of the Fairy Chimney valley of Göreme
. According to 2010 census, population of the district is 24,503 of which 8,866 live in the town of Gülşehir, and the remainder in surrounding villages. The district covers an area of 956 km² (369 sq mi), and the average elevation is 885 m (2,904 ft).
. In the vicinity of Gülşehir there are still rocks and steles with inscriptions from the Hittites.
The Ottoman
Grand Vizier Karavezir Mehmet Seyyid Pasha did the same thing in Gülşehir as Damat İbrahim Pasha
did in the nearby Nevşehir
and a külliye
was built in the town which had only 30 houses. The complex consisted of a mosque, a madrasah
and a fountain.
The pottery
, located completely inside an artificial cave deep in the rock
, is a local tourist attraction.
Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek is the stage of the Greek language in the periods spanning the times c. 9th–6th centuries BC, , c. 5th–4th centuries BC , and the c. 3rd century BC – 6th century AD of ancient Greece and the ancient world; being predated in the 2nd millennium BC by Mycenaean Greek...
: Ζωρόπασος), is a town and district of Nevşehir Province
Nevsehir Province
Nevşehir Province is a province in central Turkey with its capital in Nevşehir. It 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 very popular...
in the Central Anatolia region of Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, in the vicinity of the Fairy Chimney valley of Göreme
Göreme
Göreme , located among the "fairy chimney" rock formations, is a town in Cappadocia, a historical region of Turkey. It is in the Nevşehir Province in Central Anatolia and has a population of around 2,500 people....
. According to 2010 census, population of the district is 24,503 of which 8,866 live in the town of Gülşehir, and the remainder in surrounding villages. The district covers an area of 956 km² (369 sq mi), and the average elevation is 885 m (2,904 ft).
History
The old name of Gülşehir, situated on the southern bank of the Kızıl River, 20 km from Nevşehir, is Arapsun and in ancient times it was called “Zoropassos” by the HittitesHittites
The Hittites were a Bronze Age people of Anatolia.They established a kingdom centered at Hattusa in north-central Anatolia c. the 18th century BC. The Hittite empire reached its height c...
. In the vicinity of Gülşehir there are still rocks and steles with inscriptions from the Hittites.
The Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
Grand Vizier Karavezir Mehmet Seyyid Pasha did the same thing in Gülşehir as Damat İbrahim Pasha
Damat Ibrahim Pasha
Damad Ibrahim Pasha was an Ottoman statesman who held the office of Grand Vizier three times Damad Ibrahim Pasha was an Ottoman statesman who held the office of Grand Vizier three times Damad Ibrahim Pasha was an Ottoman statesman who held the office of Grand Vizier three times (the first time from...
did in the nearby Nevşehir
Nevsehir
Nevşehir, formerly Muşkara, , is a city and the capital district of Nevşehir Province in the Central Anatolia Region of Turkey. According to the 2010 census, population of the district is 117,890 of which 85,634 631 live in the city of Nevşehir...
and a külliye
Külliye
Külliye, deriving from the Arabic word "kull" is a term which designates a complex of buildings, centered around a mosque and managed within a single institution, often based on a vakıf , and composed of a medrese, a darüşşifa, kitchens, bakery, hammam, other buildings for various benevolent...
was built in the town which had only 30 houses. The complex consisted of a mosque, a madrasah
Madrasah
Madrasah is the Arabic word for any type of educational institution, whether secular or religious...
and a fountain.
The pottery
Pottery
Pottery is the material from which the potteryware is made, of which major types include earthenware, stoneware and porcelain. The place where such wares are made is also called a pottery . Pottery also refers to the art or craft of the potter or the manufacture of pottery...
, located completely inside an artificial cave deep in the rock
Rock cut architecture
Rock-cut architecture is the practice of creating buildings and other physical structures by carving natural rock. In India the term 'cave' is often applied, and in China 'cavern,' but one must differentiate natural caves from rock-cut architecture which is man-made and designed along the...
, is a local tourist attraction.
