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The National Park of Cappadocia

‘Words fail one in attempting to describe the appearance of this extraordinary locale’ W.J. Hamilton, English Geologist, July 1837.

Subterranean cities, cave houses, tunnels, fairy chimneys, deep winding valleys and an enchanting landscape – Cappadocia is quite simply one of the most extraordinary places on the planet.

There is really no adequate way to convey the quite inspirational feeling created by the surrealistic landscape of The National Park of Cappadocia – even photographs struggle to do it justice. You simply have to experience the gargantuan landscapes, the enormity of the skies and the sheer awe-inspiring natural beauty first hand. A beauty not flattered by comparison with the great natural wonders of the world!

Many literary travellers before and since Hamilton (see quote above) have struggled to capture the essence of this astonishing region – Paul Lucas reporting to the French Royal Court as long ago as approximately 1730.

“Here stood countless – heretofore unknown – pyramidal formations... Each of these formations possessed a beautiful door, a charming staircase by which to gain entrance and large windows in all the rooms to secure illumination. Within a single rock mass had been hewn a number of living quarters, each lying one above the other... They numbered not several hundreds, but more than a couple of thousand.”

GEOLOGY
Millions of years ago there were three major volcanoes in the area and over a long period of time their eruptions covered a large area in tufa, lava, ash and boulders. Heavy rains and strong winds, floods, rivers and temperature changes then eroded this base, resulting in deep narrow canyons, valleys and ravines being carved out and peculiar rock formations sculpted. These tufa formations are between five and eleven million years old.

HISTORY
The bizarre landscape, fertile soil and central location attracted many peoples from the Neolithic periods onward. Assyrians, Hittites, Persians and Romans have all left their mark on this remarkable region.

The early Christians fleeing persecution from Rome settled here and created many churches and monasteries throughout the valleys – which house an amazing array of well-preserved frescoes. Seljuk Turks built ‘motels’ for camel caravans travelling along the Silk Road and Ottomans embellished the area with mosques, medreses (religious school) and bridges.

Houses, churches, stables, storage places and dove cotes were chiselled out of the eroded soft tufa, which is easily shaped when moist and hardens fast in contact with air. The temperature in these ‘caves’ is more or less the same throughout the year (12–15°C) making them perfect for food storage.

Now they have a different use, being ideal for the famous Cappadocian Cave Hotels (see our properties). They are naturally air-conditioned – cool in hot summers and warm and easy to heat in harsh winters.

The tufa rock allowed extraordinary underground settlements to be created which were used over many years to escape the attentions of invaders. Some of these settlements extend an astonishing 17 stories below the ground. Museums have been established which permit visitors to explore some of these settlements – offering a fascinating insight.

Cappadocia is quite simply one of the most extraordinary landscapes on the planet.