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| In front of a cave "monastery" |
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| One of the simple frescoes in a 10th century cave church |
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| At the Goreme National Park |
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| Cave dwellings in the Goreme National Park |
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| 90 meters deep in the underground cave system at Kaymakli -- JR sized tunnels |
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| A stone that was used to seal off an entrance in the underground city |
After Istanbul we traveled to Cappadocia, which is a region in the center of Turkey. Thanks to my Uncle Jim for suggesting we visit this area. It really blew us away. We spent three days in Goreme at a lovely hotel called the Vineyard Cave Hotel and were just amazed at the sights around us.
The natural landscape was formed by volcanoes millions of years ago and over many millennia erosion has shaped the environment into something resembling another planet, with dramatic spires, cliffs, and jutting hills of soft rock. People (troglodytes if you will) have been making their homes in these rocks for thousands of years. The area became particularly important for early Christian monastics and those seeking refuge from attack. They built caves, churches, and sanctuaries out of the rock -- even entire underground cities up to six levels deep. This was absolutely fascinating to learn about before our trip and even more amazing to see in person.
We never thought we'd be exploring underground cave cities that were built a thousand plus years ago! It was just completely otherworldly.
Here's a link to a
Youtube video on Cappadocia, and also a link to the
UNESCO description of Goreme and Cappadocia.
