Off the Beaten Path in Turkey | The "Conservative" Anatolia

Kirsehir, a small city located between Ankara and Cappadocia, is not very well-known in Turkey, a country full of famous landmarks. However, this city is full of hidden gems. The city's attractions are not only historically significant, but also have a philosophical charm. It's definitely worth a visit if you're passing by. 1. Cacabey Madresesi (Cacabey Madrasa) [Images 2-4]: Built in 1272, the architecture of the madrasa is unique and different from other Seljuk madrasas of the same period. All classrooms are designed inside the mosque, not in the courtyard. It was added to the World Heritage Tentative List in 2014. 2. Ahi Mosque [Images 5-6]: Built in 1482, it is the burial place of Ahi Evran, the founder of the Ahi Guild. It is also on the World Heritage Tentative List. 3. Ahilik Muzesi (Ahi Guild Museum) [Images 7-9]: Located opposite the Ahi Mosque, this modern museum has a rich collection of exhibits and is free to visit. The museum provides a good explanation of the history of the Ahi Guild. Here is a brief summary: ① From the late Seljuk period to the early Ottoman Empire, it spread from the Anatolian Plateau and was a social system and folk culture derived from Sufism. ② It was based on small families in the neighborhood, emphasizing altruism, mutual help, and forming organizations similar to autonomous district committees (with genealogy and appointment documents). ③ It encouraged handicrafts and commercial trade, and formed a strict master-apprentice inheritance system. ④ Compared with the thoughts of the Hundred Schools of Thought in the pre-Qin period, I jokingly call Ahi the "Turkish Mozi and Guanzi".