One of the most important centers in Cappadocia is Ürgüp, 20km to the east of Nevsehir. Like Göreme, Ürgüp also had different names in history; Osiana (Assiana) in the Byzantine Period, Bashisar during the Seljuk Peroid, Burgut Castle in the Ottoman Period and Ürgüp as of the early years of the Republic.
The earliest known settlement in the area was on the skirts of Mount Avla, to the north of Damsa river called as "Tomissos" in the antiquety. Though, the most important remains belonging to the later period are the Roman tombs found in the towns and villages near Ürgüp. Also an important religious center during the Byzantine Period, Ürgüp was a bishopric of the rock-cut churches and monasteries found in the villages, towns and valleys cut churches and monastreies found in the villages, towns and valleys around Ürgüp.
In the 11th century, Ürgüp was an important citadel connecting with Nigde and Konya, important towns of Seljuks. The two buildings from this period are the Altikapili (Six Gates) and Temenni Tepesi (Wish Hill) tombs found in the town center. The 13th century Altikapili tomb, housing the remains of a mother and her two daughters, has six sides each with an arched window and no roof. Although researchers think that this is unlikely, one of the two tombs on the Temenni Hill is believed to belong to Seljuk Sultan Rüknettin Kiliçarslan Iv, built by Vecihi Pasha in 1268 and is known as "Kiliçarsalan Tomb" by the locals. The other one is believed to belong to Alaaddin Keykubat III.
Ürgüp became a part of the Ottoman empire in 1515. It was the first time in the 18th century when Damat Ibrahim Pasha, the Ottoman Grand Vezier, established the governorship in Nevsehir (Muskara). Ürgüp was then administered by the governorship making Ürgüp secondary in importance.
In his history and geography book "Kamus-ül Alam" written between 1888 and 1890, Semseddin Sami mentions 70 mosques, 5 churches and 11 libraries in Ürgüp.
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Pancarlik valley lies to the south of Ortahisar, and to the right of the road leading from Ürgüp to Mustafapasa. The church has one nave, one apse and a flat ceiling. The frescoes in this church are well preserved, and most of them are painted on a green background. At first glance it appears that two different artists were responsible for the paintings, but on closer inspection it is apparent that the same artist painted all the frescoes. In the church, the scenes from the Bible follow one another in sequence and portraits of saints in insets border these scenes on both sides. The churc dates back to the first half of the 11th century
The village of Yesilöz, which houses the Tagar church, lies to the right of the ürgüp-Kayseri road, about 8.5km from ürgüp. The dome of this "T" planned church is now covered in glass, the original having collapsed. The upper floor galerry is reached by a stairway, and this is the only example of such churc architecture in Cappadocia. The generally well preserved frescoes were painted by three artists, all in their own style. This church, devoted to St.Theodore, dates back to the 11th-13th centuries. 