The central area of Turkey has a truly unique and amazing place to visit: Cappadocia. The eruption of Mount Erciyes about 2000 years ago created ash and lava rock formations. Softer rock was eroded by wind and water, but the harder deposits on the top layer erode more slowly, resulting in the “fairy chimneys”. (Similar to the hoodoos of Bryce Canyon.)

The soft rock is relatively easy to carve, but hardens when exposed to air. And so the people of Cappadocia carved homes and churches into the rocks, making this an amazing place to gaze upon. We hiked through Pigeon Valley, explored an underground city, and were amazed at the churches. Mostly for tourists and historians now, the last rock settlement was evacuated for habitation in 1964 as many were collapsing. Various new hotels are being built into the formations.

Left: The hills and valleys of Cappadocia.

Baloon Ride

We had the chance to do a sunrise balloon ride, which was WAY COOL! Not sure which was more thrilling: soaring high over the landscape, or coming in low over the town and gliding past homes carved into the tufa formations. At one point we buzzed a hotel, low enough to look into the windows. As we floated up and over the building, we were so close we could have reached out and stolen garmets off the rooftop clothesline! When we landed, the pilot brought the basket down right on top of the trailer used to transport it--with just a half foot to spare on either side.

Buildings next to the rock formations. The edge of our basket is just at the right edge of the photo.

Our view of a town in Cappadocia, with carved tufa at the top of the hill. Another balloon was rising very close to us.

Pigeon Houses

The soil of Cappadocia is poor. To compensate, farmers from the Bronze age until just 30 years ago fertilized the soil with pigeon droppings. (Thirty years ago, they began using commercial fertilizer.)

The need for pigeon quano led to an entire industry in Cappadocia---pigeon houses. Niches were carved into the soft tufa rockfaces, with just a small opening for the pigeon. These niches are carved in rows, with human access via ladders or stairways. Those who tended the "houses" would also put a branch sticking out for the pigeons to land on. Once a year, they would smoke the pigeons out of their roosts, and harvest the droppings as fertilizer. (The smoke masks the human scent, so the pigeons come back.)

Above: The pigeon houses in, yes, Pigeon Valley.

This man and his wife run a refreshment stand at the end of a popular hike through Pigeon Valley, near the village of Mustafapasa. (They apparently check when the tour groups are coming through.) Tea, fresh squeezed orange juice and snacks. But years ago, the husband tended the pigeon houses in part of this valley, collecting 50 bags of guano each year.

Left: The owner of Naturel Orange, with fresh produce and a hand operated squeezing machine.

Göreme Open Air Museum

One area in Cappadocia with numerous churches carved into the tufa rock has been declared an open air museum (and a UNESCO World Heritage site.) The clergy lived in these caves, and there are storage areas, cooking areas with blackened walls, refectories with long benches and table carved into the stone.

And churches. High, domed ceilings, columns, chapels and niches, all cut into the rock chimneys. The churches in Göreme have frescos from the 10th and 11th centuries, painted on the walls and ceilings. There is some damage due to wind, rain, and earthquake, but for being a thousand years old, they are just beautiful. A lot of painstaking detail, in what is essentially a cave.

One of the rock chimneys at Göreme.

Bob at the entrance to one of the churches

The interior of Tokali Kilise, or Buckle Church. Church carving was obviously a science, to be able to carve such a lofty interior without the fairy chimney collapsing.

A ceiling fresco in Karanlik Kilise, or Dark Church (so called because of the lack of light, which means these frescos are very well preserved.)

The columns and multi-domed ceiling of Elmali Kilise (Apple Church.)

Kaymakli Underground City

Yes, in Cappadocia, people even lived under ground. Photos cannot explain the the intricate and complicated city plan--an entire troglodyte community. The original excavations were done by the Hittites, but more digging went on by the Christians in the 1st through 3rd centuries. These cities were created for defense, and 20,000 people could live underground for months to escape invaders. In times of peace, the people lived above ground and used the cities for food storage.

Our group inside one of the more spacious rooms at Kaymakli. The grates on the floor cover tunnels down to a lower level--there are eight levels in this city.

Chambers, hallways and tunnels were carved in a "tree" formation, so that even if invaders penetrated the defenses, they would find themselves in narrow, curving tunnels that were easy to defend. (Including holes in the ceiling where hot oil might rain down on them.) Community kitchens were created with special ventilation so that smoke from cooking fires would dissipate from multiple outlets far from any entrance. The first "floor" had stables for the animals, with water troughs carved right into the stone. Other levels included storage, living quarters, wineries and churches. We visited Kaymakli, but there are at least 35 other underground cities in Cappadocia.

The guide explains how the donut shaped door (at left) could be rolled into place to block the passageway, and could not be opened by invaders on the other side. Some of these passages were so small we had to crouch and scuttle through for at least 20 feet--not conducive to an invading army.