Gülşehir

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 Hittites. 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. According to the Ottoman General Census of 1881/82-1893, the kaza of Gülşehir had a total population of 14,984, consisting of 11,029 Muslims, 3,935 Greeks and 20 Armenians. It was district centre in Aksaray Province between 1920 and 1933 and then in Niğde Province between 1933 and 1954. It got its present name in 1948. The pottery, located completely inside an artificial cave deep in the rock, is a local tourist attraction.