4000-year-old trading centre whose significance spanned powerful empires.

In the east of Cappadocia lies Kayseri, the city known as Caesarea in Roman times. As with many human settlements in Anatolia, Kayseri has a long history and a rich cultural heritage.

Located 20km from the city centre, the Kültepe Mound is the most important example of this heritage with a history dating back 6000 years. Kültepe was an important trading centre during the 2nd millennium BC. Excavations have unearthed important artefacts from the Bronze Age, the Assyrian trading colonies and from the Hittite era.

Rich heritage

Due to its strategic location Kayseri changed hands between states competing for domination over the years, and many civilizations that played a role in its history have left their imprint on its cultural treasures. These include the mounds with thousands of years of history, some of which have been excavated and are now open air museums; the rock-face reliefs sculpted by the Hittites; the Roman burial structures; the rock-cut churches from Christianity's early periods; and the structures adorning the city centre built during the Danishmend, Seljuk and Ottoman eras. All changed Kayseri into a city where ancient and modern live in harmony – a cultural heritage site well worth a visit. Among the artefacts are cuneiform tablets containing Anatolia's oldest written documents, providing valuable insight into these periods of which little was known. The trading that had started with the Assyrian trading colonies between 1950 and 1850 BC continued over the Royal Road passing Kayseri on the way, connecting Sardes and Susa in the 5th century BC. During Seljuk rule, Kayseri became one of the crucial cities on the principal trading route: the Silk Road. Today Kayseri maintains its historical heritage as an important centre of commerce and industry.

The pre-Islamic past of Kayseri province can be traced in its counties and villages. One of the most visited sites in Kayseri is the Soğanlı Village of Yeşilhisar County. The village is an important centre of Cappadocia and there are about fifty rock cut churches in its environs. Due to the nature of the local rock some of the churches were built with such features as domes, vaults and columns. Those built in the period between the 4th and 11th centuries are adorned with frescoes depicting Biblical stories. While each deserves a visit in its own right, the most striking churches are the KubbeliKarabaş and St Barbara churches with regards to their architectural features and frescoes.

Soğanlı is by no means the only place for rock cut churches; there are a number of rock-cut churches and monasteries to be found in the village of Erdemli in the Erdemli Valley of the county of Yeşilhisar, in the Derevenk Valley of the county of Talas, at Tavlasun, in the village of Germir and in Gesi, some of which are adorned with Biblical stories and are as splendid as the well-known examples in Kayseri. Another important settlement where churches and monasteries from different eras can be seen together is the county of Ağırnas. The county also has the distinction of being the birthplace of Mimar Sinan, the architect royal who built masterpieces in İstanbul as well as in other principal urban centres, defining the cityscapes of most of those cities. The house where he was born is now a museum situated in the Aşağı Pınar neighbourhood. A subterranean city used by the first Christians is located in the same area, too. As seen by the spaces for worship, the subterranean city was used up to the 13th century.

The most prominent monumental buildings in the city centre were built during the Danishmend, Seljuk and Ottoman eras. The 13th-century Hunat Hatun Complex, the first Seljuk complex in Anatolia, is comprised of a mosque, madrasah, tomb and a public bathhouse. Each building has its own specific features and the masonry work of the whole complex is exceptional, and you may easily spend hours there without noticing how time flies.

The madrasah is now a shopping centre. In the south of the complex stands the beautifully decorated Döner Kümbet of 1276, a Seljuk mausoleum of classic simplicity. As a major Seljuk city, Kayseri was an important centre of education. Consequently, there are many madrasahs among the historical buildings. Those interested in Seljuk architecture should visit the Çifte (Gıyasiye and Şifahiye) Madrasah, the first Seljuk school of anatomy which is now the Gevher Nesibe Medical History Museum. Nearby is the lovely Sahabiye Madrasah and near the city's bedesten (covered bazaar) is the restored 12th-century Ulu Mosque. The Hacı Kılıç Mosque, north of the Çifte Madrasah, dates from 1249. In the Cumhuriyet quarter, the 19th-century Reşit Ağa Mansion houses the Atatürk Museum which displays Atatürk's personal belongings. Across from the Atatürk Museum, the historical Güpgüpoğlu Mansion is now an Ethnography Museum. In the south of Kayseri in Develi three more important Seljuk buildings are to be found: the Ulu Mosque, the Seyid-i Şerif Tomb and the Develi Tomb. The nearby Sultan Marshes is the habitat of many bird species. It is of interest both to ornithologists and nature-lovers. On the same road is Sultanhanı, a caravanserai built by the Seljuk Sultan Alaeddin Keykubat in the early 13th century and it is a favourite stop for tourists.

The city is spread out at the foot of the extinct volcano Mount Erciyes, where in winter the ski centre offers excellent runs for downhill skiers and several pleasant hotels.

Kapuzbaşı Waterfall is 176km south of Kayseri and it is a beautiful site of seven mountain-face springs which fall from heights ranging between 30m and 70m.

Carpet and Kilim Weaving

Kayseri is one of the most important carpet and kilim (rug) production centres in Anatolia. The town of Bünyan is most famous for carpets while Yahyalı is most renowned for rugs. Rugs woven in finely knotted floral patterns retain a centuries-old tradition and locally produced items can be purchased from Kayseri's carpet shops.

Information Text on the Use of Your Personal Data

This Consent and Information Document (“Information Document”) regulates terms and conditions for use of the data notified by Users of services (“Patients”) and/or gained from Patients during delivery of Oba Tourism Organization Adversiment  and Publishing Limited Company (“Medithrace”) with headquarter at Ertuğrul Mah. Orduevi Cad. No 2 Süleymanpaşa -  Tekirdağ pursuant to Personal Data Protection Law (Nr. 6698)  activities performed to deliver services, including “Free-of-charge Second Opinion and Health Counseling” (“Services”) at contract partner hospitals (“Hospitals”) with details written below.
 
How is your medical history and health information obtained?

Your personal health details are derived from “your medical reports, details about medications you take, epicrisis, imaging studies, imaging reports and pathology reports” that you submit us and they are shared with or disclosed to partner hospitals in Turkey and their relevant personnel in order to create your treatment plan.

Which data is processed?
 
This article lists the data that is regarded as personal data in Personal Data Protection Law (Nr. 6698) and processed by Medithrace for the services delivered to patients. Unless otherwise is stated, “Personal Data” and “Data with Specific Quality (Sensitive”) shall have following meanings pursuant to terms and conditions of this Information Document. 

Hospital collects following data that are notified by Patients. 
 
●    Identity - Address Details: Name surname, identity number, gender, date of birth, business or personal e-mail, phone number, home address or business address that are written on relevant forms,
●    Health Evaluation Details: Your medical history, medical reports, details of medications you take, epicrisis, imaging studies, imaging reports and pathology reports.
●    Extra data: Other health and/or personal information that is required for service delivery and not covered in above written data classes. 

Pursuant to Articles 3 and 7 of Personal Data Protection Law (Nr. 6698) and regulations to be issued by the Committee, personal data or sensitive data shall not cover the data that is anonymized by deleting your identity details in an irreversible manner and terms and conditions of this Information Document, hereby, shall not apply to such data. 

Why do we use your data?

Your data is shared with or disclosed to physicians, healthcare staff and other relevant hospital personnel to help our firm provide you with “free-of-charge second opinion” service that is rendered in relation with your probable treatment. Thus, they are used to have contract hospitals create a complete treatment plan and submit estimated cost.

Hospitals may process the personal data notified by the Patient and the new data derived by the Hospital from the personal data in order to help the Patient use the Services, deliver the Services, fulfill the intended use of the personal data specified in this Information Document, fulfill the liabilities arising out of the content of Services and meet any and all legal obligations.

In addition, the Hospital may process the personal data and disclose them to third parties without any need to consent of the Patient pursuant to Articles 5, 6 and 8 of Personal Data Protection Law (Nr. 6698) and/or in the presence of exemptions in the relevant legislation.

Allowed Disclosures
 
Medithrace shall be entitled to disclose the personal data notified by the Patient and the new data derived by the hospital from the personal data in order to render the Services, improve the patient experience, improve Services and achieve any one of the goals specified under the section “Why do we use your data?” of this Information Policy.

Your personal, clinical and genetic data collected pursuant to this Information Document, hereby, shall be processed in line with the provisions written in this document and the provisions and security measures dictated by relevant legislation of the country, where the data is stored and/or processed.

Your Right to Access Your Data and Your Correction Requests

 The patient shall have the following rights by applying to Medithrace;

●    Learning if the personal data is processed or how it is processed,
●    Requesting relevant information, if personal data is processed,
●    Learning the intent of processing personal data and whether they are used in line with the intention, 
●    Learning local and international third parties who are shared the personal data,
●    Requesting correction, if personal data is processes incompletely or incorrectly,
●    Requesting correction, deletion or disposal of the personal data in line with the provisions set by relevant legislation; requesting notification of the correction, deletion or disposal to third parties that are transferred the personal data,
●    Raising an objection to a negative outcome arising out of analyzing the data exclusively with automated systems,
●    Requesting compensation of loss and damage that arises out of illegal processing of personal data. 

The patient may post the request in writing to Ertuğrul Mah. Orduevi Cad. No: 2 Süleymanpaşa -  Tekirdağ or e-mail the request letter to info@medithrace.com. Medithrace shall issue and transfer the positive or negative response in writing or electronically pursuant to the above mentioned requests, provided the grounds of negative response are notified. The Patient undertakes that the details subject to this Information Policy are complete, correct and up-to-date and that they will be immediately updated in case of any change Medithrace shall assume no responsibility, if up-to-date information is not notified by the Patient.

Duration of Storage for Personal Data


Medithrace shall store the personal data notified by the Patient for the interval that the Services are actually delivered in order to fulfill liabilities set in this Information Policy, hereby, and arise out of the content of Services to help the Patient use the Services.

Our Measures and Commitments for Data Security

Pursuant to provisions set by relevant legislation or mentioned in this Information Policy, Medithrace commits to take necessary technical and administrative measures to ensure appropriate level of security in order to prevent illegal access to the personal data and/or illegal data processing.
Possible Changes in Information Policy
Medithrace shall be entitled to amend provisions of this Information Policy at any time, provided the amended policy is accessible at the Web Site, www.medithrace.com. The amendments made in the Information Policy by Medithrace shall be put into force immediately after the amended provisions are publicized.

By signing the declaration and consent document, I agree and state that I received the information and consent document, I read and understood the content and my personal data is processed, used and disclosed to third parties if necessary for my potential treatment.

LART