Ortahisar means "middle castle".The first noticeable feature of Ortahisar is the rock castle (kalesi) standing dominantly over the town. In many ways, it resembled the same structure that looms over the nearby town of Uchisar but locals are extremely proud of it, calling it…“The Tallest Fairy Chimney in Cappadocia.” ( 78 metres high ).Ortahisar is the epitome of Cappadocia’s agricultural soul. Wander downwards from the central square and you’ll discover cobbled streets rimmed by gorgeously worn stone-house ruins leading out to a gorge of pigeon house–speckled rock. Head upwards (towards the highway) and you’ll see the cave complexes where Turkey’s citrus-fruit supply is still stashed. Overlooked for years by travellers, the secret is now firmly out. The past couple of years have seen a flurry of boutique and larger luxury-hotel openings here as visitors searching for the Cappadocia-of-old begin to discover Ortahisar’s beguiling, arcadian beauty. Despite the sudden influx, Ortahisar’s rustic nature is still very much in place. Donkey carts rattle down the lanes regularly, elderly men mooch all day outside teashops and, if you’re here in April when the citrus storage caves are thrown open, the scent of lemons permeates the town.
