Fertek
| Fertek | |
|---|---|
| Town | |
  Fertek Location in Turkey | |
| Coordinates: 37°58′N 34°37′E / 37.967°N 34.617°ECoordinates: 37°58′N 34°37′E / 37.967°N 34.617°E | |
| Country |
 Turkey |
| Province | Niğde Province |
| District | Niğde Central district |
| Elevation | 1,270 m (4,170 ft) |
| Population (2011) | |
| • Total | 1,920 |
| Time zone | EET (UTC+2) |
| • Summer (DST) | EEST (UTC+3) |
| Postal code | 51000 |
| Area code(s) | 0388 |
| Licence plate | 51 |
Fertek, is a belde (town) in Niğde Province, Turkey.
Geography
Fertek at about 37°58′N 34°37′E / 37.967°N 34.617°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 [1]
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. The result of the coexistence was the spread of Turkish among the Greek community; Greeks used Turkish even in their Orthodox worship.[2] But during the population exchange following the Turco Greek war of 1919-1922 the Greeks were deported from the town.
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.[3]