Mount Hasan
Mount Hasan (Turkish: Hasan Dagi) is an inactive volcano in Nigde Province, Turkey. With an altitude of 3,253 m (10,672 ft.), it ranks as the second highest mountain of central Anatolia. A caldera 4-5 kilometres wide formed near the current summit around 7500 BC, in an eruption recorded in Neolithic paintings.

The ancient settlement of Çatalhöyük collected obsidian from the area of Hasan Dag, which they probably traded with other settlements for luxury goods. Obsidian mirors and flakes have also been found. The importance of Hasan Dag to the people of Çatalhöyük may be shown by a wall painting, sometimes called the "first landscape" by art historians, which depicts Hasan Dag towering over the settlement's houses.

Approximately six hours walk is required to climb to the top of the mountain, as it is not possible to drive up. At the summit, one is faced with a fabulous view over the central Anatolian plateau, including the distant Cappadocia.

 

Ihlara
Ihlara is a township with own municipality in Aksaray Province, Central Anatolia, Turkey. It is situated at about 40 km (25 mi) from the province seat of Aksaray and near the town of Güzelyurt.

The township is famed for the nearby valley of the same name, Ihlara Valley, which is a 16 km (10 mi) long gorge cut into volcanic rock in the southern part of Cappadocia, following several eruptions of Mount Erciyes. Through they valley flows Melendiz Stream.

What is unique about this valley is the ancient history of its inhabitants. The whole canyon is honeycombed with rock-cut underground dwellings and churches from the Byzantine period.

Due that the richness of the watering possibility and its hidden form and easily to hide structure it was the first settlement place of the first Christians escaping from the Roman soldiers. In the Ihlara Valley there are hundreds of antic churches caved in the volcanic rocks. The most known churches are Agacalti Church with cross plan, Sümbüllü Church, Pürenliseki Church, Kokar Church, Yilanli Church, Karagedik Church, Kirkdamatli Church, Direkli Church, Ala Church, Kemerli Church and Egritas Church.

 

Lake Tuz
Lake Tuz (Turkish: Tuz Gölü meaning Salt Lake) is the second biggest lake in Turkey, located in central Anatolian region, 105 km NE of Konya and 150 km SSE of Ankara (38°50'N, 33°20'E). For most of the year, this very shallow (1-2 m) and saline lake has an area of 1,500 km². It is normally 80 km long and 50 km wide at an elevation of 905 m above sea level. Its area is shared by the provinces of Ankara, Konya and Aksaray, and holds a population of over 3 million people.

The lake, occupying a tectonic depression in the central plateau of Turkey, is fed by two major streams, groundwater, and surface water, but has no outlet. Brackish marshes have formed where channels and streams enter the lake. It is extremely saline and during the summer, most of water in the lake dries up and exposes an average of 30 cm thick salt layer. During winter part of the salt is re-dissolved in the fresh water that is introduced to the lake by precipitation and surface runoff. This mechanism is used as a basis for the process of the salt mines in the lake. The three mines operating in the lake produce of the order of 70% of the salt consumed in Turkey. The salt mining generates industrial activity in the region, mainly related to salt processing and refining. Arable fields surround the lake, except in the south and southwest where extensive seasonally flooded salt-steppe occurs.

 

 

Helvadere
Helvadere (Valley of Turkish Honey), at the northern foot of Hasan Dag about 45km/28mi southeast of Aksaray, the ruins of a monastery lie hidden in a volcanic crater, access to which is via a narrow cleft in the rock. Known as "Viransehir" (Destroyed City), there are other remains also, including those of a Byzantine fortress and two fine churches - the Kara Kilise (Black Church), a single-aisled basilica, and the cruciform Kemerli Kilise (Arcaded Church) constructed out of uniform blocks of trachyte.