Fertek

Geography

Fertek at about 37°58′N 34°37′E is almost merged with Niğde, the distance between Fertek and Niğde city center is being about 7 kilometres (4.3 mi). The town is situated at the eastern slopes of the mountains with an altitude of about 1,270 metres (4,170 ft) The population of the town is 1920 as of 2011

History

The history of the town can be traced back to ancient ages when the town was an underground city like some of the Capadocian towns to the north. During Byzantine Empire times the name of the town was Fertakaina, Fertaki, or Fertakion. Although the town was captured by Turks in the late 11th century the original Greek character was more or less preserved throughout the centuries. According to Ottoman statistics of 1895, the Greek population of the town was 1200 and the Turkish population was 1300. As a result of Greco-Turkish war of 1919-1922 town's Greek Orthodox community was exchanged. Late in the 20s, as a result of the forced name change campaign, the town was renamed with a random name, and officially recorded as Aydın Yurt. Despite it, the town kept its historical name even in official recordings.

Economy

Ferteks economy has been mostly agricultural throughout history. Grapes are the most important products. Before the Greeks were deported, the rakı(spirits) distilled in Fertek were very popular in İstanbul. In modern times, being close to Niğde, city services also play a part of the town economy. At the moment there is no notable touristic revenue, but the touristic potential due to the underground city (which needs restoration) and various buildings including churches allows for the possibility of tourism.