Develi: Seriously, What *Is* This Place?
okay, so i just got back from…develi. i know, right? it sounds like a forgotten breakfast cereal. and honestly, it kind of feels that way. it’s in turkey, specifically Kayseri province, and let me tell you, it’s…a thing. i stumbled across it while trying to find somewhere genuinely off the beaten path, and well, here we are.
first off, the coordinates are 38°23′19″N 35°29′33″E. i don’t even know what that means, but it’s somewhere in the heart of anatolia, near this massive mountain called erciyes. it’s seriously imposing. i just checked and it's...there right now, hope you like that kind of thing. the weather’s pretty standard continental - hot summers, freezing winters. someone told me that spring and autumn are the best times to visit, which, honestly, sounds like a polite way of saying ‘don’t come in the winter unless you like snow.’
this place has history. like, seriously old history. they’ve been hanging out there since the copper age and bronze age. apparently, it was a big deal during the byzantine, seljuk, and ottoman empires. it was even part of angora (kayseri) until 1922. and get this - it’s a recognized memory site for anatolian armenians. it’s a lot to take in, you know? it’s like, a thousand years of people just…existing.
administration-wise, it’s a municipality with mayor mehmet cabbar (akp). which, i don’t even know what that means, but it sounds official. the population is 66,840 (2022), and the area is 1,892 km². it’s pretty densely populated, i guess. the postal code is 38400, and the area code is 0352. airport-wise, you’re looking at kayseri erkilet airport. convenient, i suppose.
so, what is develi actually good for? well, it’s an agricultural center. fruits and vegetables, mostly. they used to dye ropes yellow with something called persian berry - seriously, persian berry? it’s a thing. and they’ve got these fountains - like, a lot of fountains. elbiz, köşkpınarı, oruza, venk…it’s a fountain overload. there are also historic houses and traditional crafts. someone told me the local cuisine is all about the local produce, which makes sense.
getting there is pretty straightforward - mostly by road and bus. if you get bored, kayseri and other major cities are just a short drive away. it’s not exactly a party destination, but it’s…quiet. and that’s kind of nice, actually. it’s like stepping back in time, which is both fascinating and slightly unsettling. i’m not sure what to make of it, honestly. it’s just…there.
seriously, it’s a really unique place. it’s like a bridge between ancient civilizations and modern commerce. the mountains, the fountains, the history…it’s all a bit overwhelming, but in a good way, i guess. it’s definitely not a place you’ll find on a typical tourist map, and that’s probably why i liked it so much. it’s just…real. and a little bit weird. i’m leaving with a vague sense of confusion and a newfound appreciation for ancient dyes. 316795
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