Güzel Yurt – Ihlara

Güzelyurt, formerly Gelveri, is a town and district of Aksaray Province in the Central Anatolia region of Turkey, at a distance of 45 km (28 mi) from the city of Aksaray. According to 2000 census, population of the district is 16,836 of which 3,775 live in the town of Güzelyurt.The district covers an area of 322 km2 (124 sq mi), and the average elevation is 1,485 m (4,872 ft).

This is an area of great natural beauty and historical importance, part of the ancient region of Cappadocia, near the much-visited Ihlara Valley.
History
Cappadocia has an important place in the history of Christianity and Gregory of Nazianzus lived in the area. There was a Christian (Greek) community in the area right up until the population exchange of 1924, when they were replaced with the Turks from Thessaloniki and Kavala.