by Ugur Akinci, Ph.D.
Most people visit Istanbul, Izmir, and perhaps Antalya and Ankara, and call it a “visit to Turkey.” But Turkey has lots more to offer. Cities of Central Anatolia are some of the best kept secrets. Two years ago I've visited Yozgat and Corum for the first time in my life and was I surprised by these clean, well-organized and proud cities that have welcomed me with a vitality that I frankly did not expect.
Kayseri is another Anatolian wonder usually neglected by the Western press. Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul is one of the many Turkish celebrities who are from Kayseri. This historic city named after Roman Caesars and anchored at the foot of the majestic Erciyas mountain, is famous for its hard-bargaining industrious merchants. A humorous warning that all Turks are familiar with mentions the stereotypical “trader from Kayseri” who would not hesitate to sell you even “a painted donkey.” But that same enterprising, risk-taking and innovative spirit is part of what made Kayseri such a great city today. If Max Weber were Turkish, he could have written a book called “The Kayserian Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism.”
The way the people of Kayseri love their city is immortalized in the unabashed opening line that has become a part of the Turkish folklore: “I don't want to brag about it or anything but I'm from Kayseri.”
It must have been at least 10 years since the last time I've visited Kayseri. Two recent mentions in the Turkish press (Nail Gureli in Milliyet and Zulfukar Dogan in Aksam) have prompted me to remind my readers where to go the next time they are in Turkey.
This city of a million souls is famous not only for its magnificent archaeological finds and historical monuments but also contemporary urban planning. The wide open avenues, generous green areas and well-planned streets are the products of German urban planners that were brought in during the tenure of late Osman Kavuncu who has served as the city's mayor between 1950-57. Kavuncu's rational urban planning initiative was kept alive during the term of Mehmet Calik who was Kayseri's mayor between 1963-73.
Did you know that Kayseri boasts 700 manufacturing plants generating $1 billion worth of exports a year? Perhaps as a reflection of such a strong industrial base, the city has no debts whatsoever. It is totally solvent, which is an abnormality for most cities around the world. Unemployment is close to zero. HES, Begendik, Has, Istikbal, Apikoglu, Yatas are among the many brand names (some of them well-known even in Europe) headquartered in Kayseri.
The city is not negligent in social services either. It provides free warm food for about 10,000 needy families every day through 10 food shelters and 11 foundations, and distributes 20,882 free loaves of bread.
In terms of the infrastructure, the city enjoys complete drinking water, sewage, water filtration and recycling systems. Clean natural gas is the preferred source of energy in a majority of the residences. Soon the city will also enjoy a sophisticated public rail transportation system.
The city offers dozens of public facilities open to all Kayserians including conference and meeting halls, concert halls and theaters, Municipality Conservatory, the largest “Youth Culture and Education Center” in whole Turkey. Dozens of dance, theater, sculpture, cinema, fine arts education centers and exhibition halls are attended by thousands of young artists, students and culture-fans on a daily basis.
Kayseri is a nice place to live and a great place to visit. Next time you're in Turkey, if you want to see a city that truly reflects what's going on in Anatolia today, stop by at the city of Caesars.