This town gets its name from Haci Bektas-i Veli, who was born in the 13th century in Khorassan, on the border with today's modern day Iran. Haci Bektas recieved his earliest education from Ahmet Yesevi, a learned thinker of that time. Haci Bektas followed the Turkish migration routes from East to West, to arrive in Anatolia where he settled in Hacimköy near Sulucakarahöyük. His arrival coincided with the political and economic deterioation of the Anatolian Selcuk state, during which time there was also a collapse in central authority.

During this time Haci Bektas travelled from city to city and village to village to promote Turkish unity. He made an effort to unite Turkish customs and culture with the Islamic faith, and worked hard to protect the Turkish language and culture from foreign influence and degeneration. The artifacts, unearthed during the excavations carried out in the town center, from the Early Bronze Age, Hittite, Phrigian, Hellenistic and Roman Reriods are at display at the Archaeological Museum of Haci Bektas.

Haci Bektas-i Veli Museum:

In the three court yarded complex housing the tombs of Haci Bektas-i Veli and Balim Sultan, there is also a mosque, bath house, kitchen, laundry, guest house and several fountains. The külliye, which is now open to public as a museum, is consisted of 3 courtyards. 1st courtyard (Nadar) - Through a big arched door, one enters the first courtyard. To the right is "Üçler Cesmesi", The Fountain of the Three, built in 1902. The bath house and the laundry are also in this courtyard. 2nd courtyard (Dergah -Dervish convent) - Entrance to this courtyard is by "Üçler Kapisi", the Gate of the Three. To the right of the gate is the Lion Fountain, built in 1554 and sent here from Egypt by the daughter of Kavalali Mehmet Ali Pasha in 1875. Also in the courtyard are a mosque, built during the time of Mahmut II, the Ottoman Sultan, the guest house and the soup kitchen.

At the basement of the cellar, adjacent to the chapter house, the valuables of the dergah and the food supplies were kept. 3rd courtyard (Hazret -Presence) - Entrance is by "Altililar Kapisi", the Gate of the Six. Upon entry is the garden and to the right are the tombs of dervishes. Opposite these tombs is the turbe (tomb) of Haci Bektas, built during the time of Orhan Gazi in a style displaying the features of Seljuk architecture. A marble gated decorated with Seljuk designs lead into the turbe. Çilehane, the cell where Haci Bektas underwent his ordeal and Kirklar Meydani , the Square of the Forty are in this section. Haci Bektas' tomb with a green sarcophogus, covered a green quilt and ornamented with candlesticks, is embellished with engravings and written motifs. To the east of Kirklar Meydani, are the tombs of Horasan Erleri, The Khorassan Men, to the west are the tombs, believed to belong to the order's leaders and the tomb of Güvenç Abdal. To the right of the Hazret Avlusu is a turbe built in 1519, housing the remains of Balim Sultan, Haci Bektas' successor.