08/11/2021
6. Underground Cities
Hidden beneath Cappadocia’s exquisite landscape are over 50 underground cities. These subterranean towns were carved into the soft volcanic rock thousands of years ago and have hosted different inhabitants over the years. Some of them extend up to eight levels into the earth. An interesting fact about these cities is that they contained all the necessary facilities to lead an everyday life.
These cities had everything a typical town would have, from wine presses to cooking places, oil storage, and livestock pens. The underground cities served as a haven for Christians escaping persecution by Arabs. There are underground cities at Ozkonak, Mazikoy, Kaymakli, Derinkuyu, and several other places.
Amazing Cave Town Goreme Cappadocia
7. Goreme
The village of Goreme is one of the few settlements in Cappadocia that is still inhabited to date and serves as the area’s main tourist center. The town has had a total of three names throughout its history. When it was established, the town was called Avcilar, which means hunters. Later on, it was called Maccan before arriving at its current name, Goreme.
The name Goreme means “one cannot see in here,” which refers to the way Christians hid in the area from Arabs during the invasion. The retreating Christians found hiding places in the many underground cities of the area.
Cappadocia UNESCO World Heritage Zelve
8. UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Due to the massive impact, that man has had on Cappadocia’s landscape, certain sections of the region are UNESCO world heritage sites. These include the Goreme Open Air Museum, which is the most visited section of Cappadocia. The museum, rock sites of Cappadocia, and the adjacent Aktepe were declared UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1985.
All of the mentioned sites are places of outstanding universal value since they provide evidence of Byzantine art and are home to the remains of an ancient human habitat that dates back to the 4th century.
