Blog Cappadociya

Between the 10th and 11th centuries, Cappadocia enjoyed a period of opulence that increased the construction of rock-hewn churches and monasteries.

Most of the churches were decorated with expensive ornaments. There are about 600 churches and it is believed that there are more yet to be discovered.

Walking through the church, one can admire the beautiful frescoes that have retained their colours.

Some of the frescoes have been damaged due to superstition and erosion. superstitious locals scratched out the eyes of some of the figures due to fear of the Evil Eye.

5. Cappadocia has an open-air museum

Photo by Klaus-Peter Simon – Wikimedia

The Göreme Open-Air Museum has some of the best known religious complexes in the area.

It was listed in the UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985 and was the first in Turkey. This was together with the other rock sites of Cappadocia.

This open air-museum looks like a monastery with its own church side by side. Tourists visiting Cappadocia make this museum their first stop.

The church buildings present unique examples of rock-hewn architecture and frescoes. These churches date back to the 10th, 11th and 12th centuries.

5. There are a number of underground cities in Cappadocia, some connected by a network of tunnels. These subterranean settlements were made possible thanks to the pliability of the soft rock. Many are open to visitors, however, a lot of the land in the area is private property.

6. There are as many as 600 churches carved from the soft Cappadocian rock and possibly many more that have not yet been discovered. These churches date back to Medieval times and display beautifully painted frescoes, which have retained an amazing amount of colour and detail over the centuries. Some painted figures have had their eyes scratched out by superstitious locals afraid of the Evil Eye.

7. The village of Göreme serves as the region’s main tourist centre and is also one of the few Cappadocian settlements still inhabited today. Christians gave the town of Göreme its name meaning ‘you cannot see here’, as they hid in the area during the Arab invasion.

8. The Göreme Open-Air Museum encompasses the best-known religious complexes in the area. Alongside the other rock sites of Cappadocia, it was enlisted as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.

9. Music concerts are often held in the surrounding cave buildings of Cappadocia, including the week-long Cappadocia Music Festival which showcases choirs and orchestras.

1. Three to four million years ago a series of volcanic eruptions shook the Central Anatolian area, forming what we now know as the Cappadocia fairies or ‘Cotton Castles’.

2. Cappadocia’s landscape was formed by volcanic erosion. Thick ash solidified into soft rock, called tuff, and over time the tuff rocks eroded with wind and water, creating the iconic fairy chimneys we see today.

3. Cappadocia spans a distance of 5,000 kilometres and sits on an altitude of over 1,000 metres, cutting through three Anatolian provinces – Nevsehir, Keyseri, and Nigde.

4. The name Cappadocia derives from the Persian word Katpaktukya, which means ‘the land of beautiful horses’ for in ancient times the region was known for its equine offering. Horses are still important to the locals who call Cappadocia home and they also offer an alternative mode of transport for visitors.

This name has been used since the late 6th century BC. The first record of this name was by kings, Darius I and Xerxes. It was one of the countries that made up the Persian empire.

The locals called it Katpatuka, a name from the Luwian language meaning low country. It was also known as the land of good horses by Iranians.

Persian and Assyrian Kings would receive gifts and tributes of horses. The horses were part of the taxes paid to the Persian government.

Horses are still valued by the locals to date. It is also used as a mode of transport by visitors.

2. Cappadocia is famously known for its rock formation

Photo by Brocken Inaglory – Wikimedia

About 60 million years ago, a series of volcanic eruptions disrupted the landscape of central Anatolia.

The result of the volcanic eruption led to magical rock formations. They are known as Cappadocia fairies or Cotton Castles. Constant wind and water erosion polished the soft rocks.

These rocks were formed after thick ash solidified into tuffs. They turned into fairylike chimneys that stand at about 130 feet high.

The shapes of these rocks may change in the next century since wind and water slowly erodes them.

Cappadocia was once an ancient district in east-central Anatolia. It is located along the rocky plateau in the centre of present-day Turkey.

The landscape of the place has dramatic stretches of soft volcanic rocks. The shapes of these rocks were a result of constant wind erosion. This has resulted in towers, cones, valleys and caves.

Some churches were carved from the rocks, underground cities and tunnels. These structures date back to the Byzantine and Islamic eras.

It was formerly occupied by the Hittite Empire that saw the rise of Christian philosophers.

Cappadocia has served as a backdrop for fascinating rich history. It remains to be a popular attraction in Turkey. A popular activity here is taking a hot air balloon.

Here are ten interesting facts you might want to know about the Cappadocia.

Famous for its unique rock formations and amazing hot air ballooning opportunities, the otherworldly landscapes of Cappadocia are one of Turkey’s most popular natural wonders. Unusual honeycombed boulders rise from the plateau of Central Anatolia and have, over the centuries, served as the backdrop for a history equally as fascinating. The region was once the heartland of the Hittite Empire and later gave rise to some of Christianity’s earliest philosophers. Cappadocia is now a prime tourist destination and one of the best places to visit in Turkey. To help you learn a little more about the region, we’ve put together ten interesting facts about Cappadocia.