Cappadocia... the Persian name "Kappa Tuchia," which translates as "Land of Beautiful Horses"... Cappadocia offers breathtaking scenery, natural wonders, fairy chimneys and rock-cut houses, picturesque valleys, scenic lunar hills, incredible monuments ranging from the Goreme Open Air Museum to Kaymakli Underground City, Uchisar Castle, Devrent Imagination Valley, Pasabag Monks Valley, and more...
Where is Cappadocia Located?
Cappadocia is located in central Turkey, in the province of Antolia. The region is best known for the three popular towns of Goreme, Urgup, and Uchisar, but it is actually the name of a much larger region that includes the cities of Nevsehir, Kirsehir, Nigde, Aksaray, and Kayseri. Cappadocia's narrowed rocky region includes Uchisar, Urgup, Avanos, Goreme, Derinkuyu, Kaymakli, Ihlara, and surrounding areas...
Cappadocia is about a three-hour drive from Ankara, Turkey's capital. Cappadocia Airport is located in Gulsehir town, and flights to Cappadocia Airport are available from Istanbul and Antalya.
So we can say that Cappadocia is "Five Cities, One Cappadocia"...
Cappadocia's secret is hidden in the geological formations that date back 60 million years. The smooth layers formed by the lava and ashes spewed out from Mount Erciyes, Mount Hasan, and Mount Gulludag first became rocky formations, then corroded with rain and wind for million years, eventually revealing today's geographic formations.
Throughout history, Cappadocia has also been home to numerous civilizations dating back to the Stone Age. Many rock-cut settlements, houses, monasteries, churches, chapels, and underground cities were built to take advantage of the region's structure. The majority of the fairy chimneys are located inside in this manner.
Today's easily carved formations in the region, dubbed "fairy chimneys" by locals, allow residents to build rock-cut cave houses and underground cities, and have served as a real refuge during repressive eras.
All of these were built invisibly to hide the people who lived here during the period, particularly from the Roman Empire's pressure, persecution, and invasion, and became the living space for hundreds of thousands of people.
Cappadocia's History
A quick look at Cappadocia's history reveals that the region was active during the Hittites period. The region was a kind of commercial center at the time because it was located on the historical Silk Road route. It lasts until the Hittites' defeat in the 12th century BC.
Following that, the Persians in the sixth century BC, the Kingdom of Cappadocia during Alexander the Great's reign in 332 BC, and the Roman Empire reigned over the region until 17 AD. When Cappadocia's last king died in 17 AD, the region became a Roman province.
Following the arrival of the Christians in the third century AD, the region became a center of education, religion, and thought. However, between the years 303 and 308, the Roman Empire's pressure increases, and the people build shelters and settlements carved into the rocks in deep valleys that are invisible from the outside.
During the 11th and 12th centuries, the region was dominated by Arab raids, followed by the Seljuks. During the Ottoman Empire, peace reigned supreme in the region, and following the Treaty of Lausanne, Christians migrated and left Cappadocia between 1924 and 1926.
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