This area, so rich in geological and cultural history, resembles a moonscape and reminded me of the Himalayas in Ladakh. Volcanoes and lava have created cone shaped structures that you can see being weathered and created: the fairy chimneys as they have become known. Early Christians in Turkey lived in fear of attacks from the Romans and later from the Muslims.
Many gravitated towards Cappadocia to hide in caves that they made inside the cones, below ground and in the soft stone. These weren't just caves but sophisticated cities if you like on six levels in one case, where furniture (and many wine distilleries !) were carved and where people lived from a month or two at a time during attacks.
Defenses were impressive and consisted of preserving water that could not be poisoned, for example, and huge circular stone "doors" that could be wheeled into a blocking position.
Word of a planned attack from Constantinople would be relayed down very quickly using fire or glinting stone from beacon to beacon and people would literally go underground. Well hidden churches were made in the fairy chimneys and caves, where beautiful frescoes remain to this day although many caves are crumbling. Some areas reminded me of Zion with their huge pink or white stone formations.
Some caves are still inhabited, particularly by tourists, us included! We saw the area on foot and by balloon, incredible.
We walked along the Red and Rose Valley, visited the old Christian village of Cavusin, the Pigeon Valley, Kaymakli Underground City, Ortahisar Castle and Mustafapasa Greek village, Devrent and Monk's Valley, Avanos, Goreme and Uchisar. Wow....
We stayed at Elkep Evi in Urgup and dined next to the Turosan winery in Dimrit and further down in the brilliant Ziggy's.
We also visited ceramics and carpet workshops:
We were fortunate to have wonderfully well-informed guides at both Ephesus and Hieropolis who brought the ancient cities alive for us as we wondered around their huge expanses in awe. We also went to the House that Mary is said to have lived in after Christ's death, the Archeology Museum and the stunning ruins of St John's Basilica.
