Niğde

Niğde is a province in south-central Anatolia, wedged between the Cappadocia region to the north and the Taurus Mountains to the south. The provincial capital (population 161,000) sits at 1,229 metres on a high plateau, with a history stretching back to at least 8000 BC. The Hittites called it Nakita or Nahita (after the Persian goddess Anahita), and a succession of civilisations — Phrygian, Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk, and Ottoman — left their mark on the city and its surroundings.

Niğde's heyday was the Seljuk era of the 13th century, when the Alâeddin Mosque, Hudavent Hatun Tomb, and other monuments were built. The city declined in the 14th century but was gradually rebuilt under the Ottomans from 1467. Until the First World War, Niğde had large Armenian and Greek populations; the remains of their churches still stand. Today the city is a quiet, somewhat overlooked provincial centre invigorated by its university (opened in 1992) and by its position on the Ankara–Adana motorway.

The province's great draw for adventure travellers is the Aladağlar National Park on its eastern edge — a dramatic limestone range with peaks above 3,700 metres, deep gorges, and some of Turkey's best mountaineering and trekking. Closer to the capital, the rock-cut Gümüşler Monastery and the Roman ruins of ancient Tyana at Kemerhisar offer quieter, contemplative experiences.

The best months are May–June and September–October. Spring brings wildflowers to the highlands and mild temperatures (15–25 °C). Summers are hot and dry in the city (up to 33 °C) but pleasant at altitude in the Aladağlar. Autumn is golden and crisp, ideal for hiking and sightseeing.

Winters are cold and snowy (lows to −10 °C), with many highland roads and trails impassable from November through March. The Aladağlar climbing and trekking season runs from June to September. Thunderstorms are common in April and May.

The Erciyes Ekspresi train runs daily from Kayseri (2 hr 20 min) through Niğde, Bor, Kemerhisar, and Ulukışla, continuing to Adana. The railway station is east of the castle and city centre. Buses from Istanbul (21 hours) and Kayseri (1 hr 45 min) serve the Niğde New Terminal on the Adana highway.

Local dolmuşes connect Niğde to Bor (14 km southwest, 20 minutes) and other district centres. A car is essential for reaching the Aladağlar National Park (63 km east via Çukurbağ) and for exploring the scattered villages and Roman ruins south of the city. The Ankara–Adana motorway (O-21) provides fast access from both directions.

• Niğde — the provincial capital, with Seljuk-era mosques and tombs, a hilltop castle, and the Gümüşler Monastery nearby
• Bor — a large town 14 km southwest with historic mosques, including the Sokullu Mehmet Paşa Mosque
• Çamardı — the gateway village for the Aladağlar National Park and its mountaineering routes
• Ulukışla — a historic town 56 km south with the impressive Öküz Mehmet Paşa Complex (1616)
• Altunhisar — a small district northwest of Niğde
• Çiftlik — a rural district in the eastern part of the province
• Aladağlar National Park — a spectacular limestone mountain range with peaks above 3,700 m, gorges, and premier mountaineering and trekking terrain

Niğde's cuisine is typical of central Anatolian highland cooking: hearty, meat-based, and suited to cold winters. Niğde tava (a baked lamb and vegetable dish) is the city's signature. Mantı (dumplings), gözleme (stuffed flatbread), grilled köfte, and various kebabs are widely available. The province produces apples, potatoes, and cereals; local honey and dried fruits are good purchases.

Eating places line the main street near the castle, including Sofram, Damak Lahmacun, and various lokantas. Alcohol can be hard to find; Nizam Izgara near the castle clocktower is one option. Geothermal mineral water bubbles from the mountains in the area, though claims of therapeutic properties are overstated.

Niğde's architectural heritage spans Hittite, Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk, and Ottoman periods. The Alâeddin Mosque (1233), with its magnificently carved eastern gate, is the finest Seljuk monument in the city. The Hudavent Hatun Tomb (1312), an octagonal mausoleum richly decorated with carved stone, is considered one of the best Seljuk tombs in Anatolia. The Prodromos Church (1861), dedicated to John the Baptist, reflects the city's once-substantial Greek community.

The Archaeology Museum houses a notable Hittite stele from circa 700 BC depicting the weather god Tarhunzas, along with mummified remains from the medieval period. The Ak Medrese (1410), though currently closed, has a fine Seljuk exterior. Local crafts include traditional carpet weaving and felt-making in the surrounding villages.

• Gümüşler Monastery — explore this remarkable rock-cut monastery 10 km northeast of Niğde, with 6th-century frescoes that were forgotten for centuries until rediscovery in 1962.
• Aladağlar National Park mountaineering — tackle the limestone peaks above 3,700 metres, trek through gorges and alpine meadows, or try rock climbing in one of Turkey's premier mountain destinations.
• Ancient Tyana and the Roman Aqueduct at Kemerhisar — walk the 1.5 km Roman aqueduct built under Trajan and Hadrian at the site of the ancient city of Tyana, 19 km south of Niğde.
• Gökbez Hittite rock relief — visit the 2x2 metre relief of the weather god Tarhunzas (circa 700 BC), carved on a rock fragment now leaning against a village house 12 km beyond Kemerhisar.
• Seljuk architecture circuit in Niğde — walk from the Alâeddin Mosque to the Sungur Bey Mosque, Hudavent Hatun Tomb, and castle to trace the city's 13th-century golden age.