Cappadocia is an amazing place!
Mount Erciyes erupted thousands of years ago, covering the area with hundreds of feet of ash. The ash hardened into tufa, a very soft stone. There were rocks and other hard chunks within the tufa, and erosion creates bizarre shapes as the hard material protects some of the softer stone underneath.
And, for at least two thousand years, people have been carving homes, churches, and storage facilities into the tufa. Most of the pensions in Göreme are at least partly carved out of the stone faces.
This was a monastic center over the period of maybe 300-1200 AD, and many of the carved structures are small chapels and monastic retreats.
When you arrive at the Göreme bus station, you realize that it is a very different place!
Late afternoon, overlooking Göreme from one of the many nice pensions.
A little later that afternoon, overlooking Göreme from one of the many nice pensions.
A little later that afternoon, overlooking Göreme from one of the many nice pensions.
A multi-story "apartment complex" in Göreme.
Just a short walk outside Göreme.
If you're using GPS, this is between UTM 36S 0660308 4279388 and UTM 36S 0660493 4278910.
Another multi-level complex, a short walk outside Göreme.
UTM 36S 0660651 4279275.
A church carved into a cliff face.
UTM 36S 0660493 4278910.
A small church in a free-standing cone near the Rose Valley. You have to climb up maybe 3 meters to the entrance. See the hand- and foot-holds?
UTM 36S 0660617 4280510.
The Church of the Three Crosses, in Rose Valley. The entire church has been exavated out of the cliff face, with decorative reliefs of three crosses cut into the ceiling.
UTM 36S 0660902 4280569.
Battered frescos in The Church of the Three Crosses, in Rose Valley.
UTM 36S 0660902 4280569.
The Church of the Three Crosses, in Rose Valley.
UTM 36S 0660902 4280569.
Further up Rose Valley beyond The Church of the Three Crosses.
Haçlı Kilise, the Church of the Cross, on the north rim of Red Valley.
UTM 36S 0661382 4280509.
Frescos in Haçlı Kilise, the Church of the Cross, on the north rim of Red Valley.
UTM 36S 0661382 4280509.
The altar area in Haçlı Kilise, the Church of the Cross, on the north rim of Red Valley.
UTM 36S 0661382 4280509.
Frescos in Haçlı Kilise, the Church of the Cross, on the north rim of Red Valley.
UTM 36S 0661382 4280509.
Kilise Dört Sütunlu, The Four-Columned Church, or so I called it. I didn't see any name for it on any of the rather sketchy maps for the area.
UTM 36S 0660113 4278618.
Kilise Dört Sütunlu, The Four-Columned Church, or so I called it. I didn't see any name for it on any of the rather sketchy maps for the area.
UTM 36S 0660113 4278618.
The nearby farming town of Derinkuyu looks like any other central Anatolian farming town. However, it has what appears to be a subway entrance, very much out of place! That leads into an entire 8-level underground city dating back to Hittite times, and occupied over centuries. Derinikuyu's underground city is one of a number in the region.
| Home Page | Site Map | Public Key |
|
 |
|
|
|
| © Jul 2008. Created with /bin/vi, hosted on OpenBSD with Apache. Root password available here | ||||