Avanos
Avanos, which is located on 18 km north of Nevşehir, was named as Venessa in the ancient period. In the district, where there are many pottery ateliers, the tradition of making ceramics has been continuing since the Hittites. The ceramic mud produced from the red soil and clay carried by Kızılırmak, takes shape in the hands of ceramic artists from Avanos.
Places to Visit
Zelve: 5 km from Avanos and 1 km from Paşabağları, Zelve is located on the northern steep slopes of Aktepe. Consisting of three valleys, Zelve ruin is the place where the fairy chimneys are the most intense. Fairy chimneys in the valley are pointed and wide-bodied. Zelve had been one of the important settlement and religious centers of Christians in the 9th and 13th centuries; the first religious seminars were given to the priests in this region as well.
Çavuşin (Nicephorus Phocas) Church: It is on the edge of the Göreme-Avanos road, 2.5 km away from Göreme. The narthex of the church, which is quite high single naved, barrel vaulted, with three absis, was destroyed. The church is dated back to 965.
Güllüdere (Saint Agathangelus) Church: It is located on the far left of the Güllüdere Valley, approximately 2 km away from Çavuşin Village. It was built on a steep slope on the left just at the beginning of the valley. The nave is rectangular-planned, with flat ceiling and a large single absis. The absis was added in the 9-10th centuryto the architecture which dates backto the 6-7th century. Two or three fresco layers in the absis indicate that the apse was constantly painted. In the medallion, the symbols of the Bible writers on the right and left of Jesus sitting on the throne are symmetrically illustrated. The flat ceiling was constructed as embossement, and was decorated with a cross in a circle in the middle, and wreath motifs between the palm motifs at the edges. Such decorations based on the cross belong mostly to the Iconoclastic Period. Due to the partiality of the people living in Cappadocia against the cross, it is a motif that was gladly made after the Iconoclastic Period as well. Because the cross referred to the 'Holy Cross' in Jerusalem.
Özkonak Underground City: The underground city, 14 km away from Avanos, was built on the northern slopes of İdiş Mount, where volcanic granite tuff layers are quite dense. The galleries spread on large areas are connected to each other by tunnels.
Unlike Kaymaklı and Derinkuyu Underground Cities, there are very narrow and long holes for communication between floors. When the entrances of properly carved rooms are closed, ventilation is provided with these narrow (5 cm) and long holes. Unlike other underground cities, holes were carved on the tunnel (in order to pour hot oil on the enemy) after the bolt stone.
In Özkonak Underground City, as in Kaymaklı and Derinkuyu Underground Cities, there are air chimneys, water wells, musters and bolt stones.
Ürgüp
Situated 20 km east of Nevşehir, Ürgüp is one of the most important centers of the Cappadocia Region. As in Göreme, it has had many names in the historical process. It has been named as Osiana (Assiana), Hagios Prokopios in the Byzantine Period; Başhisar in the Seljuk Period; Burgut Castle in the Ottoman Period; and Ürgüp since the first years of the Republic.
Pink Valley: The most typical samples of fairy chimneys can be seen in the valley located right in the middle of the Ürgüp-Avanos road. In this region, where natural formations take place very intensely, it is observed that nature forms the rocks in many ways such as camels, rabbits, etc.
Kızılçukur: In this region, which is always an important grape and wine production center, there is a church built in fairy chimneys and decorated with grape paintings. This valley, which has many fairy chimneys in different colors, is also a popular viewing spot at sunset.
Mustafapaşa: Mustafapaşa, where Orthodox Christians accommodated until the population exchange in 1924, looks like a typical museum-city. St. George, St. Vasilios and St. Stefanos Churches, of which the samples of 19th century churches, are open to visitors. It is also possible to see unique samples of Christian and Seljuk construction work in this interesting town.
Sarıhan (Saruhan): It was built in 1217 by the Seljuk Sultan Alaattin Keykubat on the Aksaray-Ürgüp-Kayseri road. This caravansary took its place in history as an important accommodation and sheltering center. It is one of the most important buildings of the Seljuk-Turkish architecture. Later on, asphalt road was built and it was underwent a good restoration. The name of the building dominated by yellow stones comes from the color of these stones.
Fıratkan: On the road of Göreme Open Air Museum, Fıratkan is a small group of churches. It has a dormitory, dining hall, kitchen and warehouses and is built as two floors. The two floors are connected by tunnels and there is a very interesting building style.
St Theodore (Tağar) Church: If you turn right after 8.5 km from Ürgüp-Kayseri road and go for some 8 km, you can reach Yeşilöz village of Ürgüp district. Tağar Church, which was built here in the name of St. Theodore, has a 'T' plan and a central dome. The gallery on the upper floor can be reached through a staircase. Therefore, it is the only sample among the Cappadocia churches. The paintings were well preserved in general, and three artists decorated the church at different times according to their own style.
Pancarlık Church: Located in the Pancarlık Valley which is on the south of the town of Ortahisar and right side of the Ürgüp-Mustafapaşa road, the Church is dated to the first half of the 11th century. It has flat ceiling, one nave and one absis. The mural paintings in the church are mostly green ground and are very well preserved.
Ala Church and Kepez Churches: These are the important churches of the region, on the Pancarlı road, made as tiny colonies, with simple red decorations as well as interesting writing and murals.
Balkan Churches: These are the church colonies 2 km away from Ortahisar. It dates back to the Ikolonazma period. A small chapel belonging to later periods is decorated with frescoes.
Taşkınpaşa Mosque: Located in the center of Damsa village, 20 km south of Ürgüp, Taşkınpaşa Mosque dates back to the Karamanlılar period. The mihrab made of walnut inlay technique, which is still exhibited in the Ankara Ethnography Museum, is very important as being the only remaining one of its kind.
The Taşkınpaşa Tomb of Hızır Reis is located right across the Taşkınpaşa Mosque. The tomb, which is dated to the same period, is reached by a staircase consisting of two-sided steps. There is also a madrasa with the same name close to the Taşkınpaşa Mosque.
Kadı Castle: It was a rock castle where women and children took refuge in case of danger in the past. There was a tunnel opening to the Damsa Streamlet under the hill to escape when needed. The large part of it collapsed in 1954 by erosion. Remaining parts survived until today are open to visit.
Temenni (Monumental Tomb): It is a monumental tomb built by Vecihi Paşa for Kılıçarslan (Nukrettin) in 1288. Located on the top of the Kadi Castle, Temenni Monumental Tomb's the most interesting feature is its 700 meter long tunnel. Visitors can visit the long corridor of this tunnel leading up to the Seyirlik Point. Temenni Monumental Tomb was later on used as one of the oldest libraries in Anatolia.
Altıkapı: It is a monumental tomb built in memory of the wife and children of one of the commanders of the 12th or 13th century Seljuk Period.
Damsa Dam: Irrigation purposed Damsa Dam lake shore, which is 17 km away from Ürgüp, on the Damsa Streamlet, is an important recreation area. It is a stop over point needed during trips and tours on the route of Mustafapaşa, Cemil, Taşkınpaşa, Şahinefendi and Soğanlı.
Ortahisar: The center of Ortahisar Town is 1 km away from Ürgüp-Nevşehir road. The 50-meter-high historical rock-casttle in the center can also be seen from the main road. You can reach up to upper part of Ortahisar Castle, which is an old shelter place, and this is a very popular view and photography point. Ortahisar region houses samples of rich monastery lives. Harim Church, Sanca Church and Cambazlı Church are the main worth-seeing places of this town. Ortahisar is a very lively cultural and commercial center. Lemon a product of Çukurova, which is being conserved in the natural cold storages carved into volcanic rock in this area, is distributed throughout Turkey from here. Ortahisar, the first town opened to tourism in the region, is also famous for the hospitality of its people.
Uçhisar
Being at the highest altitude of the Cappadocia Region and only 7 km away from the center of Nevsehir, Uçhisar is located in an extraordinarily beautiful location with its Uçhisar Castle, stone houses, natural valleys and sunset spot, and as in other regions of Cappadocia, it hosts hundreds of thousands of domestic and foreign tourists every year.
Göreme
Hidden among the fairy chimneys, Göreme is the heart of Cappadocia. The first period settlements in the region date back from Christianity to the Roman Period. Houses and chimneys carved from rocks up to Ortahane, Durmuş Kadir, Yusuf Koç and Bezirhane Churches, Uzundere, Bağdere and Zemi Valley in Göreme carry the mystical side of history.
Göreme Churches: Tokalı Church, Monasteries of Priestesses and Priests, St. Basil Chapel, Elmalı Church, St. Barbara Chapel, Yılanlı (St. Onuphrius) Church, Karanlık Church, Çarıklı Church, El Nazar Church, Saklı Church, Meryem Ana (Kılıçlar Kuşluk) Church, St. Eustathios Church, Durmuş Kadir Church is located in Goreme National Park.
Kılıçlar Valley: Valleys made up of tuff rocks between Göreme Valley and Aktepe are called Great Small Kılıçlar. Kılıçlar Church is located inside the valley, which has an impressive view with its fairy chimneys, tunnels, and interestingly shaped rocks.
Kaymaklı Underground City
It is located in the town of Kaymaklı, 20 km away from Nevşehir. The underground city has 8 floors and the first floor is dated to the early period. It was transformed into an underground city by carving and expanding other areas during the Roman and Byzantine Periods. Today, 4 floors of the underground city are open to visitors. This underground city carved into tuff rocks has the necessary shelter conditions for a mass of people to live temporarily. There are rooms and halls connected to each other with narrow corridors, wine tanks, water cellars, kitchen and food warehouses, ventilation chimneys, water wells, church and large bolt stones to close the door from inside to prevent any danger from outside.
Derinkuyu Underground City
It is located on the Nevşehir-Niğde highway and in the Derinkuyu district, 30 km away from Nevşehir. As in Kaymaklı Underground City, there are places to accommodate a large group of people and meet their needs. This underground city has 8 floors. Unlike Kaymaklı Underground City, there is a school of missionaries, a place of confession, a baptism pool and a well interesting for visitors. The underground cities are structures specific to the geological formations of the Cappadocia Region and such samples are not found in other regions. You can visit our website to learn more about Cappadocia; Discover Cappadocia (https://discovercappadocia.com/).
