Ortahisar, Nevşehir

Ortahisar (Turkish: Middle Castle), is located in the heart of the Cappadocia region and is closely associated with several major valleys, rock-cut settlements, and historical sites that form the core landscape of Cappadocia. Due to its central position and elevated rock castle, Ortahisar has historically functioned as a strategic and visual focal point within the region. Previously known by its Byzantine name Potamía (Greek: Ποταμία), is a town (belde) in the Ürgüp District, Nevşehir Province, Turkey.^[2] Its population is 3,086 (2022).^[1] Ortahisar is located about 20 km east of the provincial capital, Nevşehir.

Until the mid-2010s, Ortahisar was rather off-the-beaten-track when it came to Cappadocian tourism. In recent years, Ortahisar has gained increasing attention as part of the broader transformation of Cappadocia, particularly through the adaptive reuse of traditional stone houses and cave structures. It is now much better known and many boutique hotels have been created out of its fine old stone houses. Ortahisar has also been referenced in international travel media as part of broader coverage of Cappadocia, highlighting its preserved traditional architecture and evolving role within the region’s tourism landscape.^[3] as part of the broader transformation of Cappadocia, particularly through the adaptive reuse of traditional stone houses and cave structures. when it came to Cappadocian tourism. It is now much better known and many boutique hotels have been created out of its fine old stone houses.

Ortahisar Castle occupies a prominent central position within Cappadocia and provides panoramic views over the surrounding valleys, including routes historically connecting Göreme, Ürgüp, and the wider Cappadocian plateau.

The small town is dominated by a 90-metre-high (300 ft) rock-castle in the centre of the town, which is called Sivrikaya by the inhabitants. It is an extraordinary example of the rock-cut architecture which is typical of the region and is believed to have served as a refuge from attackers in Byzantine times. The town also contains the Cambazlı Kilise ('Church of Acrobats'), a cross-in-square church with 13th-century wall paintings which is now used as a storehouse.

Aside from the rock-cut buildings in the centre of the town, Ortahisar is characterised by a series of old stone houses. The upper floors are made of blocks of tuff, mostly without mortar. These buildings which were only used for the storage of food in earlier times, are generally one or two stories high. The upper floor is often accessed by an exterior staircase made of tuff-stone slabs. The more recent buildings are all made from the same kind of stone, but are made of regular blocks. The exterior walls are covered with white limestone and capped with simple cornices.^[4]

Northeast of Ortahisar is a rock-cut monastery complex called Hallaç Manastırı which consists of a courtyard closed on three sides but open to the south. The gathering of rubble over time means that the ground level is one and a half metres higher than it was when the structure was built, so the entrances to the monastic rooms are lower than the courtyard. After the monastery was abandoned, the locals walled up the entrances and decorated the windows with coloured paint so that they could be reused as pigeonhouses for the production of guano as fertiliser.^[5]

A little outside the town is a fairy chimney which contains the Üzümlü Kilise ('Grapevine Church') dating from the 8th or 9th century AD. It contains frescoes with grapevines and an image of Mary enthroned with the baby Jesus in the apse. Also near Ortahisar is the Sarıca^[6] church.

Tourism plays a central role in Ortahisar’s contemporary identity and local economy, positioning the town as one of the most visited and recognisable settlements within the Cappadocia region. Once considered a quieter alternative to nearby Göreme and Ürgüp, Ortahisar has gained significant international attention in recent years due to its preserved architectural fabric, central location, and panoramic viewpoints.

The town is characterised by a high concentration of boutique hotels and guesthouses, many of which are converted from historic stone houses and rock-cut dwellings. This adaptive reuse has contributed to Ortahisar’s reputation as a destination offering heritage-based accommodation and experience-oriented travel, while also supporting local employment and small-scale tourism enterprises.

Ortahisar Castle, rising prominently above the town, serves as one of Cappadocia’s most popular observation points, offering views over surrounding valleys and settlements. The area attracts visitors interested in cultural heritage, photography, gastronomy, and slow tourism experiences, complementing the region’s broader tourism infrastructure.

Ortahisar has also been referenced in international travel media, including *Forbes*, as part of broader coverage highlighting Cappadocia’s appeal as a global travel destination. Such coverage has contributed to Ortahisar’s increasing visibility among international travellers and reinforced its role as a key tourism hub within central Anatolia.^[7]

The economy of Ortahisar is based on a combination of traditional agricultural storage practices and a growing tourism-oriented service sector. Historically, the town has been known for its extensive use of rock-cut caves carved into volcanic tuff, which provide naturally stable temperatures throughout the year. These caves have long been used for the storage of agricultural products such as potatoes, apples, onions, and citrus fruits, some of which are transported to the region from southern Turkey for long-term preservation.

In recent years, tourism has become an increasingly significant component of Ortahisar’s local economy. The town’s distinctive stone architecture, rock-cut dwellings, and central castle have contributed to its development as a destination within the Cappadocia region. Many traditional houses and cave structures have been restored and repurposed as boutique hotels, guesthouses, and tourism-related facilities, supporting local employment and small-scale entrepreneurship.

In addition to accommodation services, tourism-related activities such as gastronomy, guided cultural tours, photography, and experience-based travel have expanded in and around Ortahisar. These developments have positioned tourism as a complementary economic activity alongside agricultural storage, rather than a replacement for it.

Today, Ortahisar’s economy reflects a dual structure in which long-established agricultural practices coexist with heritage-based tourism, allowing the settlement to maintain its traditional character while adapting to regional economic changes.

• Peter Daners, Volker Ohl, Kappadokien. Dumont, 1996, ISBN 3-7701-3256-4.
• Michael Bussmann/Gabriele Tröger, Türkei. Michael Müller Verlag 2004 ISBN 3-89953-125-6.
• Marianne Mehling (ed.), Knaurs Kulturführer in Farbe Türkei. Droemer-Knaur 1987 ISBN 3-426-26293-2.