Kayseri, city in central Turkey, capital of Kayseri Province. Kayseri is situated on the Anatolian Plateau, near the extinct volcano Erciyas Dagi (Mount Argaeus). It is a commercial and manufacturing center; products include textiles, carpets, aerospace equipment, machinery, cement, and sugar. The archaeological site of the ancient city of Kanish, dating from the 3rd millennium BC, is located nearby. An ancient community, Kayseri was known to the Romans in the 1st century AD as Caesarea Cappadociae. The city was captured by the Seljuk Turks in the late 11th century, fell to the Mongols in 1243, and became part of the Ottoman Empire in 1515. Population (1996 estimate) 471,463.
