Turkey | Cappadocia, Central Anatolia

Central Anatolia - Cappadocia (Kapadokya)

Cappadocia (Kapadokya, Capadocia) is a vast geographic region within the Anatolian plateau of central Turkey, who's name is derived from the Persian word "Katpatuka" (6th century BC) meaning "the land of beautiful horses."

Looking something like a landscape from Mars or the Moon, Cappadocia has a strange and beautiful topography that makes it one of the natural wonders of the world.

The entire area is littered with naturally-weathered volcanic tufas resulting from the eruptions two volcanoes: Hasan Dagi and Erciyes Dagi. Thousands of years of erosion from the Kizilirmak river created dramatic formations known as "fairy chimneys," that cover the landscape for as far as the eye can see.

Cappadocia is situated to the east of Konya, and is surrounded by the Nigde to the south, Kirsehir to the north, Kayseri to the east, and Aksaray to the west.

Cappadocia has been populated since the late Bronze Age, hosting civilizations from the Hittites and Assyrians to the Frig, Pers, Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman civilizations. Cappadocia is also mentioned as an important Roman province in the Bible's New Testament.

During the 2nd century BC, the first Christians settled in Cappadocia to escape the persecution of the Roman Empire. In Kaymakli and Derinkuyu entire underground cities were constructed so that the Coptic Christians could evade capture, and at various points these cities would house thousands of people.

Rock Church Interior

These underground cities were intended for extended periods of habitation, and were built with ventilation chimneys, churches, living quarters, meeting halls, kitchen facilities, water wells, toilets, and manufacturing areas.

The fairy chimneys of Cappadocia are dotted with thousands of dwellings that have been carved out of the solid rock, and there are still inhabitants living in some of the caves, although this practice is discouraged by the Turkish government due to the instability of the rock dwellings during an earthquake.