History of Nevşehir Province
The oldest settlement of Nevşehir has been identified as the Civelek Cave in Gülşehir district. In the researches conducted in this area, artifacts belonging to the ancient Bronze Age dating back to 3000-2000 B.C. were found.
Assyrian Period: In 2000-1750 B.C. Assyrian merchants established large commercial centers called Karum in Kayseri Kültepe. The fact that these commercial centers established in Kültepe are dated back to Assyrians has become definite thanks to the written tablets found. In other studies carried out in the region, many wabartums (small market place) were found in Nevşehir province, however sufficient information about the wabartums could not be obtained since there was no written tablets found from these wabartums.
Hittites and Late Hittite Period (1750-700 B.C.)
It is possible to find the remains of the Hittite Period in all the mounds in Cappadocia Region. Apart from that, there are rock monuments written in Hittite hieroglyphics in Gülşehir-Sivasa, Acıgöl-Topada, Hacıbektaş-Karaburna regions. This region is said to be named as 'Nissa' by Hittites.
Persian/Hellenistic Period (585-332 B.C.)
Persians named the region as 'Katpatuka' which means 'Land of Beautiful Horses'.
Roman Period (17-395 A.D.)
The Christians who discovered the rocky Göreme and its surroundings in the 4th century, they adopted the world perspective of Saint Basil, who is also the Kayseri Bishop, and started the monastic life in the rocks.
Byzantine Period (397-1071 A.D.)
After division of the Roman Empire into two, the Cappadocia Region came under the influence of the Eastern Roman Empire. In the 3rd century, priests with a strong personality made the region the center of religious thought and living. In the 4th century, Cappadocia was known as the hometown of three great saints (Kayseri Bishop Grand Basil, his brother Gregory from Nyssal and Gregor from Nazianus).
Anatolian Seljuks Period (1075-1308 A.D.)
Nevşehir was a small settlement with the caravansaries such as Çay Hanı, Horozlu Han, Zazadin Hanı, Sultan Hanı, Ağzı Karahan, Tepesidelik Han, Alay Hanı and Saruhan established at one-range intervals of each on east-west direction, and on the trade route that followed the route among those caravansaries. In the photo below, there is a frame inside the Saruhan Caravansary remained from the Seljuks.
Principalities Period
When the Anatolian Seljuks collapsed, Nevşehir came under the domination of the Mongols, then the Anatolian Governor Timurtaş and then Eretna Bey. Although it was taken over by Kadı Burhanettin in 1381, it came under the domination of Karamanoğulları in 1397.
When Yıldırım Beyazıt added Karaman province to his territory in 1397, Nevşehir got involved in the Ottoman State. However, when Yıldırım Beyazıt was defeated by Timur in 1402, Nevşehir came under the domination of Karamanoğulları again. In 1487, when 2nd Beyazıt definitely ended the Karamanoğulları Principality, Nevşehir (Muşkara) was included in the borders of the Ottoman State.
Ottoman Period (1299-1923 A.D.)
Nevşehir and its region lived under peace under Ottoman rule for a long time. The bridge built in Özkonak during the Eastern Expedition of Yavuz Sultan Selim is important for the early Ottoman architecture in Nevşehir.
Damat İbrahim Pasha (1662-1730 A.D.)
Born in Muşkara, Damat İbrahim Pasha changed the name of the city to Nevşehir (Newcity) in 1725 and gave orders to the judges to use this name in all official correspondence.
Damat İbrahim Pasha started to potable water, bridge, inn, public bath, madrasa and mosque projects in order to revive Nevşehir. Thus, with the orders and edicts of the sultan Ahmed the 3rd., who loved his grand vizier very much, he started an intensive construction activity. Camii Atik (Black Mosque), Camii Kebir (Kurşunlu Mosque), Imaret, Madrasa, Sıbyan Mektebi and Public Bath were built.
Nevşehir in the Republican Period
Nevşehir was a township under Niğde Sanjak in the last period of the Ottomans. After the proclamation of the republic, Niğde emerged as a province in the new administrative structure, while Nevşehir became one of its districts. With the law numbered 6429, Nevşehir was turned into province on 20 July 1954. Kırşehir and Avanos subordinated to Kırşehir, Mucur, Hacıbektaş, Ürgüp subordinated to Kayseri, Arapsun (named Gülşehir in 1948) subordinated to Niğde, became districts of Nevşehir. While Kozaklı and Hamamorta villages were villages subordinated to Kozaklı, they were merged and connected to Nevşehir as a district named Kozaklı in 1954. Kırşehir was made province again in 1957. It was separated from Nevşehir together with Mucur district.
Currently, Nevşehir has 8 districts. These are: Central, Avanos, Gülşehir, Ürgüp, Acıgöl, Derinkuyu, Hacıbektaş and Kozaklı districts. Click here for detailed information about these districts.
