Sultanhanı
title: "Sultanhanı" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["populated-places-in-aksaray-province", "district-municipalities-in-turkey", "sultanhanı-district", "lycaonia"] topic_path: "geography/turkey" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sultanhanı" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::data[format=table title="Infobox Turkey place"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| type | municipality |
| name | Sultanhanı |
| image_skyline | 20180110 Sultanhani 4474 (26218865018).jpg |
| image_caption | Monumental gateway of the Sultan Han |
| coordinates | |
| province | Aksaray |
| district | Sultanhanı |
| leader_party | AKP |
| leader_name | Fahri Solak |
| elevation_m | 945 |
| population_footnotes | |
| population_total | 10958 |
| population_as_of | 2021 |
| area_code | 0382 |
| website | |
| :: |
| type = municipality | name = Sultanhanı | other_name = | image_skyline = 20180110 Sultanhani 4474 (26218865018).jpg | image_caption = Monumental gateway of the Sultan Han | image_shield = | coordinates = | province = Aksaray | district = Sultanhanı | leader_party = AKP | leader_name = Fahri Solak | area_footnotes = | area_total_km2 = | elevation_m = 945 | population_footnotes = | population_total = 10958 | population_as_of = 2021 | postal_code = | area_code = 0382 | website = Sultanhanı is a town in Aksaray Province, Turkey. It is named after the famous han (caravanserai) within the town. It is the seat of Sultanhanı District, created in 2017. Its population is 10,958 (2021).
Geography
The distance to Aksaray is about 40 km and to the south coast of Lake Tuz is 20 km.
History
Presently, Sultanhanı is not on one of the main highways of Turkey. But it was one of the most important stops in caravan routes during the Middle Ages. The 4866 m2 Seljuk han, which was commissioned by Alaattin Keykubat ('Alā' ad-Dīn Kay Qubād) is considered one of the best preserved hans of the Seljuk period. After the Age of Discovery, like other caravan routes the Sultanhanı han became neglected.
Another milestone in local history was the Battle of Sultanhanı (also called the Battle of Aksaray) in 1256, where a Mongol army under the command of Baiju defeated the Seljuks. ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/98/Sultanhani_Caravanserai,Turkey(23944555856).jpg" caption="Sultanhani Caravanserai"] ::
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2a/Sultanhanı_Kaymakamlığı_(2025).jpg" caption="Sultanhani Kaymakamlığı (district office)"] ::
Economy
Although the land around Sultanhanı is quite salty, the town economy is flourishing. Main agricultural products are cereal and sugar cane, produced by mechanized agriculture. There is a sugar mill in the town. Another profitable business is ancient rug and carpet restoration. Some people are employed in stock breeding.
References
References
- [https://www.e-icisleri.gov.tr/Anasayfa/MulkiIdariBolumleri.aspx İlçe Belediyesi], Turkey Civil Administration Departments Inventory. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
- [https://www.resmigazete.gov.tr/eskiler/2017/11/20171101-5.htm Tebliğ NO: 2017/2], Resmî Gazete, 1 November 2017.
- "Address-based population registration system (ADNKS) results dated 31 December 2021". [[TÜİK]].
- "Sultanhanı". Mayor.
- Prof. Yaşar Yüce-Prof. Ali Sevim: Türkiye tarihi Cilt I, AKDTYKTTK Yayınları, İstanbul, 1991 p 130
::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::