Goreme / Cappadocia
goreme_cappadocia_open-air-museum
goreme_cappadocia_open-air-museum
goreme_cappadocia_open-air-museum
goreme_cappadocia_open-air-museum
The formation of famous Cappadocia fairy chimneys have lasted millions of years. Erciyes, Hasan and Melendiz mountains which had been active volcanoes thousands of year ago, have deposited an amazing tuff bed with their spraying ash and lava. In a similar way, within thousands of years, rain, snow and wind have caused erosions and mechanical decompositions in these tuff layers. These erosion activities have shaped and eroded the tuff layers and created the special formations called fairy chimneys. These chimneys may be in shapes of bird, camel, rabbit or may be accumulation of any other different things. So that, all over the world; it is imposibble to find any equivalent of this area and its original shapes. The first Christian societies had come to and settled in Cappadocia in II. and III. Centuries. This area had become one of the most important center of Christianism in between VI. and IX. Centuries. In episcopacy period of Kayseri, Saint Basil from Kayseri and Gregorius from Nyssa have started to the construction of the churches which have been by built engraving rocks, and these churches had been arranged for the missionaries. The best ones of these churches may be visited and seen in Goreme Valley. The number of Cappadocia churches which have been constructed within rocks are more than 200 in lhlara, Tatlarin, Soganh and Agiksaray valleys. Unfortunately, most of frescos placed into these churches have been damaged and destroyed by the time. As in Goreme Valley, the Cappadocian church may be visited and seen today. On frescos in that church there many drawings illustrating the Virgin Mary, Jesus and his apostles and a many different scenes from the Evangel. The frescos seen in that church have been made in years between VI. and XI. Centuries. Saint Barbara, Tokah, Elmali, Sandalh, Yilanh, and Karanhk churches are located in Korama Valley namely its old name in Goreme. These churches had certainly to be visited. In old ages, it had been especially cared about that the churches had been constructed on the valleys that people live and very close to people. Except from the churches located in Goreme Valley; in the same region Yusuf Kog, El Nazar, Kadir, Kadir Durmus and Sakh churches deserve to be visited.
