either side were used during the winter. In the middle of the courtyard stands a square stone kiosk-mosque (kösk mesçidi), the oldest example in Turkey. The mosque on the second floor sits on a construction of four carved barrel-vaulted arches. At the other side of the courtyard is another equally decorative arched entrance with muqarnas, joggled voussoirs and interlocking geometric designs. It leads into a stable covered with a barrel vault with transverse ribs. A short tower, capped by a dome, stands over the crossing area. This dome has an oculus, providing light and air to the stable. Aksaray Museum Aksaray Museum exhibits the Aksaray Stele, a Late Hittite monument discovered in the city in 1976. The stone block is 88cm high, and 90cm wide but the top half is missing. It portrays a weather god, facing right and wearing pointed shoes. On the reverse are the last five lines of a text in Luwian hieroglyphs including a dedication by King Kiyakiya who describes the prosperity of his reign and the benevolence of the weather god Tarhunzas. Kiyakiya is believed to be the same as King Kiakki of Šinuḫtu, who is mentioned in Assyrian texts and ruled in 718 BC. He was then deported by the Neo-Assyrian king Sargon II. He is also mentioned in the Topada rock inscription (:de:Felsinschrift von Topada) as one of the kings who were allied with Wasusarma of Tabal. It is near the bus station. Aksaray Castle the Aksaray Castle was a four-cornered, stone-built, solidly built castle on a large area, on the edge of the Melendiz river. It was built in the middle of the city. The bastion and its towers were not very high. With all their bastions, teeth and bodies, their crenellated holes and their calculated towers always faced each other. During the siege, the strong warriors of each tower guarded the towers with rifles. There were five gates on the side of the fortresses. Küçükkapı faces west. Demirkapı opens to the qibla. Keçikapısı also opens towards the qibla. Ereğlikapısı opens to the south and Konyakapısı opens to the west. The guards of these gates are the tax collectors. A warehouse was built in the castle to store wheat during the rebels' time. It has no arsenal. Their were big balls thrown during Ramadan and other festivals. The southern interior of the castle is now where Aksaray Square stands. The Kurşunlu Mosque