Stand on the north side of the main square in Aksaray and you can take in two eras in one turn of the head: the early Republican government buildings facing the square, and, a short walk away, the Seljuk stonework of the Grand Mosque and its detached minaret. The Melendiz river runs through the middle of the city, and the bridges over it are lit at night.
Aksaray suits travellers crossing Central Anatolia by road, people interested in Seljuk and Karamanoğlu architecture, and anyone using the city as a base for the caravanserais, the Ihlara valley and the salt flats to the north. It is a working mid-sized Anatolian city rather than a resort, and most of its sights sit within walking distance of the centre.
This guide covers the places in and around the city that the sources describe, with practical notes on when to go and what to combine with what.
Top things to do in Aksaray
1. Grand Mosque (Ulu Camii)
Also known as the Karamanoğlu Mehmed Bey Mosque, this is the anchor of the city centre, built in 1408 during the Karaman reign. The detached minaret was added in 1925. Entry is free.
It stands on 717th Sk. The Governor's Office and the other handsome early Republican buildings are in the square 200 m southwest, so pair the two in one walk. The street on the square's north flank is called Turizm Cd.
2. Zinciriye Medrese
A medrese of 1336 with a fine facade; you enter from the east through the elaborate Crown Gate. In the 19th century it became a jail, then a museum, and it now serves as a library and cultural centre. Entry is free.
It is at Belediye Cd 28 and opens Mon-Sat 09:00-17:00. Zinciriye Mosque is 200 m north if you want to add it to the same stop.
3. Red Mosque and leaning minaret (Eğri Minare Camii)
The mosque and its red-brick minaret date from 1306, in the Seljuk era. The minaret leans at an angle of just over 3°, and its upper section is collared by steel braces. The tilt probably reflects subsidence shortly after construction and appears stable. Entry is free.
It is on Nevşehir Cd. Walking from the leaning minaret down the river, you will pass many beautiful bridges that are illuminated at night, which makes this a good late-afternoon start to an evening in the centre.
4. Sultan Han
A caravanserai of 1229 and one of the finest Seljuk structures, sitting astride a trade route about 40 km west of town. It is a sturdy little fort designed against banditry and thievery rather than major assault. A decorated marble gateway leads into the open-air summer courtyard, now lined by souvenir shops; the kiosk mosque in the middle has steps to keep the camels out, and a second courtyard is covered for winter shelter.
It opens daily 08:00-18:00. Because it lies well outside the city, give it a half-day and treat it as the main stop of a westward run rather than something to squeeze between city sights.
5. Yusuf Hakiki Baba Complex
The complex includes the elegant tombs of the Islamic saint Somuncu Baba (Sheyh Hamid-i Vali, 1331–1412) and the scholar Cemaleddin (Şeyh Cemaleddin Aksarayî). There is also a mosque, a library, a display place and an exhibition hall.
Allow time for the exhibition hall rather than treating the tombs as a quick photo stop; the complex is one of the fuller single visits in the centre.
6. Aksaray Museum
A small but informative museum of the area's history and prehistory, on Konya Cd 16, 500 m east of the Otogar and next to the Grand Çakıroğlu Hotel. Entry is free.
It opens Tue-Sun 09:00-16:30. The Science Museum (Aksaray Bilim Merkezi) is 200 m north on Değirmen Sk, so the two make a natural pairing; the science museum is child-friendly and opens Tue-Fri 09:00-17:00 and Sat-Sun 10:00-18:00.
7. Kılıçaslan Hamams
Twelfth-century bath houses on the riverbank opposite the Red Minaret Mosque. In modern times they became garbage dumps but are under restoration.
Check the state of the restoration before planning a visit around them, and combine them with the Red Mosque and the riverside bridge walk, which are on the same stretch.
8. Çanlı Kilise
The ruin of a 10th- or 11th-century Byzantine church, and the chief building of an ancient village cut into the mountainside, in the hills 15 km south of town. The village looks to have fallen on hard times, with houses later subdivided, and was abandoned in the 14th century.
Approach by the road from Akhisar village, which crosses the hills into Ihlara Valley, so it works as a stop on the way to or from the valley rather than a separate outing.
9. Hasan Dağı
The twin-peaked dormant volcano looming southwest of town, 30 km south, with the east summit at 3,069 m and the west at 3,253 m. Access is from the north, along the unsealed road off D750 at Taşpınar through Gözlükuyu to Karkin, then a track suitable for 4WD that hairpins up from Karkin to the trailhead at Hotel Karbeyaz.
The summit ascent is not technically difficult, but be prepared for strong cold winds and snow underfoot.
10. Tuz Gölü
The salt lake, best accessed by the road north of Aksaray. In summer it dries up completely, leaving salt pans and a completely white, flat landscape. You can walk around or harvest salt with your own hands. In spring and autumn, migratory birds throng its lagoons and salt pans.
It is best visited in early summer, when there is ankle-deep water to paddle into and a mirror reflection of the sky and far shore. Never stop on the busy D750; Altuğlar at the junction of D750 and D757 is a good access point, and access is free. Wear good shoes and sunglasses, as the glare from the saltpan intensifies the sunlight.
11. Ihlara valley
The valley is the area's hiking and rock-climbing destination, reached via Güzelyurt, where there are many more places in close reach.
Base yourself around Güzelyurt rather than trying to see the valley as a detour from the city in a single afternoon.
12. Ağzıkara Han
A richly decorated caravanserai of 1230/40, 17 km east of town. Access has been closed for years.
Because you may not be able to get in, treat it as a look from outside at most, and note that Tepesi Delik Han is another 5 km along that road and is nowadays a cafe, souvenir shop and filling station, while Alay Han another 10 km east is derelict.
13. Lunapark
A chain fairground on 33rd Cd, 1 km west of the town centre, open daily 14:00-00:00.
It opens in the afternoon, so it fits at the end of a sightseeing day rather than the start.
14. Çağırkan and the Prince Mikasa Memorial Garden
East from Tuz Gölü across the Kızılırmak Valley, the town of Kaman is mildly famous regionally for its walnuts but otherwise undistinguished. Çağırkan is 8 km further east, where the Prince Mikasa Memorial Garden is a hillside Japanese garden combining all the traditional design elements, with free entry. Its unlikely location is due to the excavations conducted by Japanese archaeologists at the Kalehöyük mound next door, whose finds are exhibited in an adjacent museum.
The garden is open daily 08:00-19:00; the museum was 20 TL as of 2022. This is a long run east, so only attempt it if you are already heading that way.
If you only have one day
Morning. Start at the Grand Mosque (Ulu Camii) on 717th Sk, then walk 200 m southwest to the square with the Governor's Office and the early Republican buildings. Continue to the Zinciriye Medrese on Belediye Cd, entering through the Crown Gate, and note that it opens Mon-Sat 09:00-17:00.
Afternoon. Head to the Aksaray Museum on Konya Cd, then walk 200 m north to the Science Museum if it is open. Finish the afternoon at the Yusuf Hakiki Baba Complex, allowing time for the exhibition hall as well as the tombs.
Evening. Go to the Red Mosque and leaning minaret on Nevşehir Cd, then walk down the river from the minaret to see the bridges, which are illuminated at night. If you still have energy, the Lunapark on 33rd Cd is open until 00:00.
Frequently asked questions
Do the main sights in Aksaray charge admission?
The Grand Mosque, the Zinciriye Medrese, the Red Mosque and leaning minaret, and the Aksaray Museum are all free. The museum at Çağırkan was 20 TL as of 2022.
When is the best time to visit Tuz Gölü?
Early summer, when there is ankle-deep water to paddle into and you get the mirror reflection of the sky and far shore. In summer the lake dries up completely into salt pans, and in spring and autumn migratory birds use its lagoons and salt pans.
Can I see Sultan Han and the city sights in the same day?
Sultan Han is about 40 km west of town and opens daily 08:00-18:00, so it is best treated as a half-day of its own rather than fitted around the city centre sights.
Is Hasan Dağı a difficult climb?
The summit ascent is not technically difficult, but you should be prepared for strong cold winds and snow underfoot. Access is from the north, off D750 at Taşpınar through Gözlükuyu to Karkin, then a 4WD track to the trailhead at Hotel Karbeyaz.
Work out which of these fit your route across Central Anatolia, and start planning your days around the caravanserais, the city centre and the salt flats.