Assyrian traders during the Period of Assyrian Trade Colonies (BC 1900 -1800) had written that in order to reach to Acemhoyuk from Kiiltepe for four days they passed through the city called ‘Nenessa’. Emile Forrerin 1926, found the name ‘Zu-Winasa’ of a city on a tablette while he was working on cuneiform scripts at Bogazkoy Hittite archives. Later years, to determine that these two names describe a single city was not hard for researchers. During the Roman period, the same city used to be called ‘Venessa’. Actually, all these names were used for one of our district which is well known to us. Yes, as you guess we are talking about Avanos. Later years, new findings were not late for being added to this dazzling depth. Archaeological excavations in district’s Topakli and Zank Hoyuk areas bring history of the area back to the Bronze Age, which is 5000 years before. Strabon in his Geography mentions that Venessa, in political and religious terms is the third important center of the Cappadocia Kingdom (BC 332-AD 17) after Kayseri and Kemerhisar (Tyana). Avanos partially kept its importance during Byzantium period. Later, it had gradually regressed. During the Ottoman period, after the second half of the 18th century, we see thatAvanos restarted its progress. During the period that Saruhan was constructed, it is known that a sergeant commanding the guardians of the khan ordered to built a small mosque at the north side ofKizihrmak (the Red River). In the course of time, a small settlement had been formed by occupation of houses around the small mosque. This settlement is the oldest known Neighborhood of Avanos, and is still called Cavus (Sergeant) Neighborhood by people. Avanos which was a village during the Ottoman period is known that had 56 houses in 1750. Avanos was observed that after these years it had shown a progress. It is believed that Kurena ArifBey of Avanos who served Sultan Abdulhamid II in the palace, contributed to this progress. It is recorded in a document of the year 1900 that there were 808 houses in Avanos.
Unfortunately, most of the houses today are in wreck condition due to either natural or human ravage. Consequently, 50-60 of the old Turkish houses of Avanos have reached today safe or slightly damaged. You can see some of these houses by a short trip at Avanos streets. Especially, Dr Haci Nuri Bey mansion, Tevfik Korukgu mansion, Ahmet Benzer house, Mustafa Erdil house, Hikmet Cingi house are worth to see.