ANCIENT CITY OF MOKISSOS

The archaeological remains known locally as ‘Viranşehir’ or Örenşar (ruined city) are located on the northwestern slopes of Hasan Dağı (3258 m.) about 27 km south of the regional capital of Aksaray. Hidden in the upland valley above the small town of Helvadere, the ruins mainly consist of houses crudely built of rough basalt blocks as well as mausolea, churches and cisterns neatly constructed of ashlar. Despite its designation as a ‘ruined city’, the settlement is currently the largest and most well-preserved Late Antique city in the historical region of Cappadocia.