Central Anatolia

Central Anatolia

Central Türkiye

Central Anatolia is known as “the cradle of civilizations”. It is home to the capital of the nation at Ankara but also to the famous fairy chimneys of Cappadocia and it is the land of the Mevlana, the mystic founder of the Whirling Dervishes, in Konya. The region boasts many interesting things to see and do and has many fine museums and monuments.

The area is very much the heartland of Türkiye and some of the traditions of the areas can trace their origins back for thousands of years. Many of the carpets that you’ll see around the country are woven in small villages in this region.

The Central Anatolian Region (also known as the Anatolian Plateau) is an area of diverse landforms. The dry, arid highlands of Anatolia lie between two mountain ranges (the Taurus and the Northern Anatolian mountain ranges) and extend to the east to the point where the mountain ranges converge. The average elevation of these highlands is 500 m. This central plateau region usually has very hot and dry summers.

The north-western and north-eastern parts of the region are made up by woods and forestland. Agriculture is practiced in the river valleys; however, the rivers mostly run through deep trenches without forming wide adjoining valleys.