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NEVSEHIR, August 25 (FENA) - All those who want to briefly return to the distant past and feel the life on our planet eight or nine thousand years ago, should visit Cappadocia at least once. Today, this historical Turkish region is an open-air museum, and its magical landscapes, and moonscapes with fairy chimneys, preserve hundreds of interesting, often unreal stories.
Cappadocia includes parts of the cities of Aksaray, Nevşehir, Niğde, Kayseri and Kırşehir, and in addition to the globally popular tradition of hot air balloon flight, Cappadocia is best known for its unique stone formations that, throughout the turbulent history of this area, have also served as hideouts, churches, resting places.
Conical structures with a stone cap above them, some of which reach a height of up to 45 m, were created after volcanic eruptions, millions of years of tectonic movement, and erosion. Ancient cultures owe them the construction of dwellings, castles, and even entire underground cities, which their inhabitants used as hiding places.
Locals called these unique stone formations "fairy chimneys", a name that has persisted through the centuries. If nature was the first artist to arrange the decor, the Anatolians carved the rock and created Cappadocia as an open-air museum full of unparalleled natural and cultural phenomena. Cappadocia is one of those places that allow you to leave our planet without leaving it. These countries will surely impress you, the hosts point out as they show the incredible landscape that looks like a stage of SF movies.
An open-air museum
It is hard to list all the things to visit in Cappadocia, and these are just some of the attractive locations that attract up to four million tourists annually. Their first stop is usually Nevşehir. The history of the city goes back to 7000 years before Christ. It was home to the Hittites, Phrygians, Assyrians, Persians, Romans, Seljuks and Ottomans. Cappadocia was an important refuge for early Christians before the religion was officially recognized by the Roman Empire. In the 11th and 12th centuries, the Seljuks took control of this area, and during the Ottoman period, the province had the current name of Nevşehir.
The Göreme Open Air Museum was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1985. It is believed that Göreme was used as a necropolis by the inhabitants of Venessa (Avanos) during the Roman era. It was the place of monastic life between the 4th and 13th centuries. It is dotted with churches carved into soft rock and decorated with depictions of biblical scenes through detailed murals and painted decorations. Architectural details and frescoes of the Tokalı Church, the monastery of monks and nuns, Saint Barbara Chapel and St. Basil's Chapel, and the churches of Elmalı, Yılanlı, Karanlık and Çarıklı are as alive today as when they were new.
Cappadocia valleys
The Zelve Valley is made up of three valleys and today it is an essential route for tourists who have the opportunity to walk a significant part of this area and get to know the specifics of each of the valleys. Zelve was mostly known as a residential area, providing living space for its residents. In contrast, Göreme primarily served as a monastic center. Zelve has the greatest number of fairy chimneys among the valleys. In the valley, you will come across notable churches such as Balıklı and Üzümlü, each of which exudes an incredibly captivating aura, vividly depicting the ancient monastic life. Most of these churches, as well as the houses where the monks lived, look like pigeon houses from the outside. One of the key reasons was to deceive enemies, and potential invaders, although pigeons had other important functions at that time. They were letter carriers, their excrement was collected as fertilizer, and eggshells were used to paint frescoes in churches.
Valley of Love, also known as Bağlıdere Valley, is one of the fantastic valleys in Cappadocia. Located between Avanos and Göreme, the valley is a place with fascinating fairy chimneys. No Cappadocia itinerary is complete without a visit to the Valley of Love. It has an almost five-kilometer-long hiking trail and it will take you two-three hours to explore the entire valley. With a beautiful view, the Valley of Love is a great destination for watching the sunset in Cappadocia.
Life underground
A stay in this part of Turkey should not be complete without a visit to one of the underground cities that also bear witness to Cappadocia's turbulent but fascinating past. There are about 200 of them, but only a few have been sufficiently explored and are open to visitors. One of the largest and best-preserved underground cities is Kaymakli. It is believed to have been created by the first Christians as a refuge to hide from persecution. The remains of this city testify to the organization of everyday life on eight floors that reach up to 85 meters deep. Today, only four floors are available for tours, but even that is enough to get a rough idea of the life of up to 3,500 people in the former underground city. Wells, storage areas and ventilation openings are also visible. Along with corridors, passages, and stairs, some of the spaces, including churches and kitchens, were used as social gathering places.
A return to the present will ensure you a tour of the city of Ürgüp. Besides being the largest settlement in Cappadocia, Ürgüp is also a magnificent source of stunning sights. These two elements bring one of the most unique images: an Anatolian city full of hotels, restaurants and shops, and cave dwellings lie right next to it. The stone mansions located on these rocks are known as the trademark of this region. In addition to the detailed mysticism found on every corner, Ürgüp is also a place to relax and shake off your worries. This is where you will find the best nightlife in Cappadocia.
A paradise for wine and food lovers
With its deep-rooted winemaking tradition, Cappadocia occupies a significant place on the world's oenological map, especially with its white wine produced from locally produced Emir grapes. Cappadocia owes its famous vineyards to the soil mixed with natural volcanic tuff. Anatolian grapes such as öksogözü, kalecik karası, boğazkere and pomegranates grow gracefully here thanks to the rich tufa soil.
As in the rest of Turkey, the cuisine in Cappadocia is extremely rich and varied. However, several authentic dishes stand out, something you won't taste anywhere else in Turkey. One of them is testi kebabı (kebab in a clay pot). This dish is baked in traditional ovens inside clay pots, which gives it a smoky aroma and more flavor. There are also many other delicious dishes, such as soğanlama with onion, egg, pepper and tomato; ağpakla with white beans, butter and meat; gendime with chickpeas, wheat and meat; dıvıl with potatoes and ground wheat; Stuffed apricots and quinces with minced meat and various spices. Food lovers are never disappointed in Cappadocia as they have the opportunity to taste pumpkin dessert, köftür (a type of Turkish sweet that contains grape juice from the region), dolaz (a type of halva made with a lot of butter), grape molasses and of course, the ürgüp baklava that is prepared only from dough for baklava and sherbet.
Although all of the above is more than enough to attract tourists from all over the world, the Turkish state also organized the Nevşehir Cultural Road Festival this month with rich content from concerts and exhibitions to theater performances. It is part of a wider national festival project, which last year expanded to include inclusive events in 11 cities and this year to 16 cities. In 2024, more than 6,000 events are planned, with the participation of almost 40,000 artists in more than 600 places.
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