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. Its population is 3,086 (2022). 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. 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.