Cappadociya blog

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.

2. Rock Formations and the Landscape
The Cappadocian region was formed during the tertiary period around 60 million years ago after a sequence of volcanic eruptions hit Central Anatolia. The eruptions formed what is known today as the fairy chimneys and many others. The famous stunning landscape of Cappadocia was formed by volcanic erosion.

Volcanic eruptions that formed Cappadocia rained ash across the region. With time, the ash hardened into the tuff, which was covered by basalt. Tuff, soft and porous, wore down as the millennia passed, forming pillars up to 130 feet high. Basalt is harder and erodes slowly; therefore, it created a mushroom-shaped cap over each pillar. The results of this million years process are the iconic fairy chimneys of Cappadocia.

Cappadocia is a land famous for its distinctive rock formation, historical heritage, and scenic hot air balloon trips. Sitting in Central Anatolia, this historical region attracts crowds of tourists from all over the world. The area is such a popular destination that in 2019, it drew a total of 3.8 million foreign tourists.

So, if you are planning to be one of the millions of visitors that will tour this magical land this year, here are ten interesting facts you might want to know about the place.

Wild Horses Cappadocia Name
1. The Made-up Name Comes in from the Cold
Whereas Cappadocia is famous today for its otherworldly topography and a strong connection to the past, the region was known for something else altogether in ancient times; horses. Even the name itself, Cappadocia, is derived from the Persian word “Katpatuka”, meaning the land of beautiful horses. Ancient sources mention gifts or tributes of horses from the region presented to ancient Assyrian and Persian kings.

When Cappadocia was under Persian governance, horses were part of the taxes paid. The locals today still value horses, which sometimes offer visitors an alternative mode of transport.

Nevertheless, there is no officially approved written sources supporting this as the main source of the “Kapadokya” name.

Below the surface of the fairy chimneys is an entire underground city. The city is connected by a network of tunnels and was used as a settlement.

Christians used the underground city as a refuge from Romans. There are about 200 churches underground that are of great historical significance.

The builders were able to carve out tunnels because the rocks are malleable. Many of the cities are open to visitors.

There are also several man-made caves in Cappadocia that were dug during the period of instability. They served as hideouts.

Some of the buildings underground are up to 8 levels deep into the earth. They had all amenities needed for day to day living.

4. There are several churches and monasteries in Cappadocia
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

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.

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.