Land of Beautiful Horses Cappadocia

Cappadocia, the "Land of Dreams", where the Realm of Fairy Tales begins

Cappadocia is a natural region that emerged 60 million years ago as a result of a natural phenomenon unique in the world; the soft layers formed by the lava and ashes erupted by Erciyes, Hasandağı and Güllüdağ were eroded by rain and wind for millions of years.

The name Cappadocia comes from the Persians. The Persians called this region "Katpatukya", which means "Land of Beautiful Horses". The formation of the extraordinary nature here dates back 60 million years ago. This natural adventure, which is still going on, started 60 million years ago with the rise of the Taurus Mountains and then continued with the volcanoes. The erupting lava and the ashes accumulated on the plateau form a soft tuff layer. The tuff layer is covered with a layer of lava in places and the basalt structure cracks and separates. The rains leak through the cracks and start to erode the soft tuff, and when the wind also contributes to the formations, the cones we call "Fairy Chimneys" with hats are formed from hard basalt rock.

Cappadocia is home to dozens of underground cities dating back 9-10 thousand years, the most popular of which are Kaymaklı and Derinkuyu. The underground cities contain churches, schools, cellars, cellars, stables, kitchens, wells, bedrooms, etc. Some of these cities are connected by tunnels to protect them from enemies. The underground cities are like labyrinths, and today they have a good lighting system and signposts to guide you in the right direction. Since the tunnels can get quite narrow while walking inside, if you have claustorophobia or a problem with bending over, I recommend you to visit only the first floor. You should definitely witness this art of nature and humankind.

Uchisar

Uchisar, 10 km from the city center, is the natural castle of the region together with Ortahisar. Starting from the Hittite period, the castle was used by the Byzantines and Arabs for protection. It is useful to go up to the top of Uchisar hill and greet the fascinating view that spreads over a huge area. In the valley known as Güvercinlik Valley, pigeon nests carved into the rocks create a very interesting image. There are also rock churches in the valley.

Nevsehir

The city center of Nevşehir, which means "new city", can be considered the poorest place in the region in terms of nature and history. The Castle on the ridge of the city, Damat Ibrahim Pasha Complex, Kurşunlu Mosque, caravanserai, library, Nevşehirli İbrahim Pasha Museum with photographs and archaeological artifacts from the Tulip Age, Nar town, Çat Town are among the places to see. Nevşehir is the richest region in terms of Cappadocia hotels. Apart from hotels, there are not many good restaurants or cafes in Nevsehir, they are mostly in Urgup, Goreme and Avanos.

Goreme

Goreme is a town inhabited in fairy chimneys. The burial chambers from the Christian era appear on the rocks in this town. Orta Mahalle Church, Yusuf Koç Church, Karşı Leg Chapel, Durmuş Kadir Church and Virgin Mary Church are among the places we recommend you to visit on your way to Göreme Open Air Museum. In the museum, you can see churches, burial chambers, cellars and cellars. Since some of the churches are under restoration and protection, it would be normal not to see them all open.

Urgup

Urgup is the most developed tourism center of Cappadocia. There are many specially built boutique and small hotels and hostels in this region. The region came to life when investors bought old houses and turned them into hotels with 10-15 rooms, each of which is a rock house. Hotels provide almost every service of Cappadocia tourism to their guests. They will definitely help you with cultural excursions and balloon tours.

Ortahisar

Ortahisar Castle is surrounded by a town, you climb up the stairs and the view from the top of the castle is mesmerizing, just as we said in Uchisar. Mount Erciyes greets you completely in front of you. This was the visible part of Ortahisar. And what about the restaurants carved into the ground, where lamb is roasted and shows are held?

Avanos

Avanos on the banks of Kızılırmak is the greenest district of the region. The Kızılırmak gives life to the district, where the natural features and historical ruins of the region are less visible. This is the place where ceramic workshops are located, where the soil is shaped into coarse utensils and the most beautiful pottery is made.