THE SILKROAD
There are various facilities on the Silkroad that begins from China and reaches Europe by the way of Central Asia, Persia and Anatolia.
There are inns and caravanserais on the route of East - West in Anatolia. Inns and caravanserais that were built for providing subsistence, lodging and security of travellers and caravans in the period of Seljuks are the best monuments that reflect "the art of Seljuk's architecture".
Ihlara Valley
The four of these masterpieces that were built in this period in Anatolia are still wholesome. These are: Sultanhanı, Ağzıkarahan, Öresinhan (Tepesidelik Han) and Alayhan.
THE SULTANHANI
The Sultanhanı was built by Alaeddin Keykubad in 1228-1229. It is the most outstanding example of the period of Seljuks with its arts of ornamentations and stone workings.
It was built for providing the security of Konya and Aksaray road which has a commercial and military importance. The inn that is composed of a winter and a summer section and a stable is at the style of classical Seljuk's inns. The inns were managed by "hanbeyi"(ruler) in the period of Seljuks. The "bey" was responsible for providing the security of caravans. There were cavalries in each inn and these were participating in the Sultan's forces in case of war. The inn is situated on 40th km. of Aksaray-Konya road.
THE AĞZIKARAHAN
The inn that is situated on 15. km. road of Aksaray-Nevºehir. Is also known "the inn of Hodja Mesud". The construction of this caravanserai had been started in the period of the Selçuk Sultan Alaeddin Keykubat in 1231 and had been finished under Sultan Gıyaseddin Keyhüsrev.
It is complete with its hammam, winter and summer sections and its prosperous condition.
The door of "the inn" has the qualifications of stone art and ornamentations art of Selçuks.
THE ALAYHAN
This caravanserai is situated on the road of Aksaray-Nevşehir, in Alayhan. It doesn`t have a written inscription. The front and the courtyard have been ruined. It is estimated that it was built by Pervane Bey in the period of Kılıçarslan II.
It exhibits classical Seljuk plan and architecture together. The figure of a lion is a symbolic appearance. It is thought that the armorial bearings related with were put.
THE ÖRESİNHAN (TEPESİDELİK HAN)
This caravanserai was built in the and of 12th century. It is on the 22 km. of Aksaray-Nevşehir road. It leaves a mystical effect on visitors. Its monumental portal and walls have been ruined partly.
THE MEDRESSE OF ZİNCİRİYE
It was built by "Yahşi Bey" from Karamanoğulları (1336-1338) and was built by using bricks and cutstones and it has an open courtyard and three porches. It is covered with a dome and has 8 sections.
The eastern crown door is used for entrances.
There is the grave of the "Dingoz Baba" at the southern side (18th century). The medresse (moslem theological school) which had sustained its functions as a "medresse" until the period of Republic has an appearance of a castle.
This medresse has been turned out to a museum by restoration of the Ministry of Culture.
Under the structure of this museum, there are numbers of archeological monuments and works came from neolithics ages and belong to (aceramical, neolithics, calcolithic, bronze, Assyrian trade colonies, Hittites, Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk periods)
And these stone monuments are :
Hieroglyph written inscription that belongs to the period of Hittite, statues of lion and eagle, architectural pieces, stones of silts, altars, tombs that belong to the Roman period, covers of tombs and architectural pieces that belong to Byzantine period and sarcophaguses, stones of graves and architectural pieces that belong to the period of Seljuk, Ottoman and "Beylik"(governments).
Baked works of soil : There are middle and large earthenware jars belong to the periods of Assyrian trade colonies, Rome, Byzantine and Ottoman and are used for storing water and food.
The other archeological monuments and works in the museum : the pots pans that were made of baked soil, figurines, stone and agate neclaces, incisor tools that were made of obsidian and bone, hand axes of stone, bronze needles and bracelets, mummies, seals, ornamentation object of glass and metal.
And ethnographic works are: folkloric dresses (üçetek, bindallı (purple velvet embroidered with leaves and flowers), waistcoats, purses of coin and tobacco, various home tools, guns, carpet and kilim.
The coins is the money made of mines as gold, electron, silver and bronze and copper that belongs to the period of Rome. Byzantine ottoman and Hellenistic.
Moreover, the cannon that was used in the I. World War is being exhibited.
PLACES OF RUİNED
BUİLDİNGS AND EXCAVATİONS
There are some excavations under the responsibility of Aksaray museum. These are : the excavation of Aşıklıhöyük that began in 1989 (8000 BC), the excavation of Acemhöyük that began in 1962 (2000 BC), the excavation of Darphane that began in 1994 and the excavations of Musula and Güvercin Kayası that began in 1996.
The places of ruined buildings are : the valley of Ihlara where there are 105 churches and approximately 10.000 rock carved settlement places, the valley of Manastırlar where there are many rock carved settlement places, churches and underground cities, the antic city of Nora in Helvadere town, Acemhöyük in Yeşilova, Aşıklıhöyük in Kızılkaya village.
AŞIKLIHÖYÜK
It is in the southern part of Kızılkaya village, on the coast of Melendiz river. The archological rescu excavation have began since 1989.
First settlements in Aşıklı that take place in a volcanic area in Aksaray Cappadocia have began in 8000 BC.(ten thousand years ago) Aşıklıhöyük is the oldest village settlement in Anatolia and Near East that belongs to aceramical and neolithic periods.
People who lived in Aşıklı cultivated various wheats, barleys,...But hunting was the main work. The oldest brain operation (trepenation) was fixed in a woman's head in Aşıklı. Moreover, traces of first autopsy were seen on a jaw bone of a woman.
YEŞİLOVA
Yeşilova is 15km. to Aksaray, in the northern side. The date of first settlement is 3000 BC. And its gold era is 2000-1750 BC. Höyük has being excavated regularly since 1962. At the result of these excavations, a big palace and a store were discovered and also seals, ceramics, pitchers...
DARPHANE
The building is consisted of 2 floors. It is one of fırst examples of Anatolian Seljuk's mints (darphane). There is a two floored palace at the entrance when the lower part is examined, it is seen that there are some places for coining money and there isn't any place for going out.
Moreover, the existence of coined money is affirming this.
THE CIVIL
ARCHİTECTURE
The houses of Aksaray that were built of cutstones and have a wide courtyard, a balcony are healthy constructions because inside of these houses are cool in summer and hot in winter.
Generally these houses have one floor and have maximum two floors. These constructions have the qualifications of our recent past architecture and art of stone carving.
Güzelyurt has an architectural qualification that is particular to itself. The buildings are completely made of cutstones and have maximum two floors.
