Hacibektas in Cappadocia as an important center of Turkish alevis and bektasis

A Cappadocia-visit should also include a visit in the town of Hacibektas. The town is located nearly 1 hour's drive from Nevsehir. You take a local minibus or midibus from Nevsehir. By travelling northwards via the town of Gulsehir you arrive in Hacibektas.
Approximately one fourth of the people in Turkey belong to Alawi-Islam and Haci Bektas Veli is one of the leading personalities of this sect. Without a visit in Hacibektas, it is difficult to get a full picture of Turkey. In the present day world where we search for dialogue between the religions, it is probable that a key to this dialogue will show itself in Hacibektas. Alawi-bektasi sect of Islam is based mainly on the ideology of having the humanbeings in the center of all and with its simplistic ( and easy-to-understand) philosophy, it propogates for beeing a good person with a proper life.
In Hacibektas-town, I would suggest you visit two places:
1) Hacibektas Museum, which is the monestary where the pupils of Alawi-Bektasi sect were trained. There you find different section of the monestary with amongst others the kitchen and the tomb of Haci Bektas Veli.
2) By driving few minutes from the town center , you come to a type of open-air museum with an amphi-theatre and a "cilehane". "Cilehane" is a small cave and if you can pass through the small hole, this means that you are free from your sins. I could not manage this, possibly because I had a thick coat on me!
In the Culture Center of the town, you also may join at certain periods SEMA-performances, which is the Alawis' traditional dances.
I found a website about the town of Hacibektas but it is only in Turkish. At least in the main page, you find a video ( without voice) showing the town. Website address is http://www.hacibektas.com/
Greeting from Izmir-region
Sinan Tortum
Tour Guide in Turkey-English and Norwegian
stortum@yahoo.no
0533.724 63 65
http://sinan_tortum.sitemynet.com/tourism/