Near the center of Turkey is a magical land called Cappadocia. I had seen photos of the famous ‘fairy chimneys’ but nothing quite prepares you for this bizarre rockscape. These tall stone formations look like they have mushroomed up randomly, some in valleys, others on the side of the road. They have of course been there for thousands of years, and the modern-day and now very touristy town of Goreme has been built around them.
We had four nights in Goreme, which gave us plenty of time to explore the surrounding area, which you can do on foot, mountain bike, quad bike, horse, bus or hot-air balloon. Getting height in this area enables you to see the many folds and grooves of the rocks and valleys and there are plenty of walks to ridges which allow you to marvel for miles around.
Our first morning in Goreme we were woken by what sounded like the roaring sea. We opened our tent door to see the sky strewn with hot-air balloons, colourful and drifting like Chinese lanterns. One was so close to us, hovering above the orchard that we could see the expression of the people in the basket. At dawn, everything is still and there is an apricot glow from the rising sun, which washes over the cliffs and valley floor.
A day tour allowed us to travel to several of the key sites surrounding Cappadocia including ‘Imagination Valley’ (Devrent Valley) with its eccelectic mix of rock formations varying in size and shape. Here we tried to pick those with a resemblance to animals or objects. A camel was probably the most recognisable, but others were much more obscure, and really did require your imagination.
One of the most remarkable attractions in the area is the underground city of Derinkuyu which was inhabited by 10,000 in the sixth and seventh century. The elderly, women and children lived underground to hide from possible invasion, while the men were said to provide defence from above ground. This elaborate maze of tunnels and rooms including kitchen with ovens and food storage is fascinating, especially when you realize how dark and depressing it must have been to be stuck metres below the surface. Ventilation holes were built and there was even a portal to gage the weather conditions outside.
Just as the rock in this area was sufficiently soft enough to be tunnelled out for underground dwellings, the rocks and pre-existing caves in Goreme allowed for rooms and chapels to be chiselled and sculptured and a network of buildings for monks to live communally was developed. In the Open Air Museum we saw several of the churches adorned with Byzantine paintings and motifs.
But you don’t have to go to the Museum to see examples of cave dwellings and rock residences. Everywhere you turn there are hollowed out boulders which served as homes to the Hittites between 1800 BC to 1200 BC and later Byzantine Christians.
The Cappadocia region is an extraordinary place to visit. Even if you’re not into geology, it’s hard not to stare in amazement every time you see a toadstool rock, or one of the upside down icecream cones. It’s easy to see why it’s been used as a ready-made film set and captures the imagination of all those who visit.
By Kelly Ley-Dahm