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When I told my students in Istanbul I was visiting Kırşehir, I got funny looks and lots of “why?”. They had a point. Kırşehir is a mostly uninteresting city on the outskirts of northwest Cappadocia.
History
Know to the ancient Greeks, Romans, and Byzantines as Mokissos (Μωκησσός), the city was conquered by the Seljuks in 1071. Aside from a couple Seljuk era mosques, there’s not much to see in Kırşehir.
Cacabey Mosque
The Cacabey Mosque (Cacabey Camii) is a Seljuk mosque and theological school built in 1272. It sits right in the center of town in a small park. It’s a true architectural beauty, from its striped entrance to the rocket-like figures on the side.
To truly appreciate the mosque, you must enter and look up to the domed skylight which allows for soft natural light to enter.
Ahi Evran Mosque
The other mosque, Ahi Evran Mosque (Ahi Evran Camii), was built in the 13th century. It’s an important pilgrimage site for the mystic Ahi brotherhood of Islam. They were mostly craftsmen and merchants.
The Ahi Evran Mosque holds the tomb Ahi Evran (1169-1261), while a statue of him sits opposite the mosque.
Kırşehir Castle
The small hill in the center of town is Kırşehir Castle (Kırşehir Kalesi). After climbing up the stone steps, there’s not much to see on top other than the small Kale Mosque (Kale Camii) and a high school. I did, however, get to see an active archaeological dig during my visit.
From the castle, there are some good views of the city center, although they’re often a bit obstructed by the trees.
Museum
Kırşehir also has an ethnography and archaeology museum. I visited on a Monday which happened to be the only day it’s closed.
Getting There
To get to Kırşehir, I took a bus from Kayseri which dropped me off in the center of town. The Kırşehir Bus Terminal (Kırşehir Otogarı) is on the outskirts of town. I never saw it. To get out of town, I found a local dolmuş office with service to Hacıbektaş. Unfortunately, I can’t tell you exactly where the office is but it was in the vicinity of the Cacabey Mosque.
