It contains the best preserved churches in the Cappadocia region. The frescoes in the churches have not lost their vitality even today. In addition, being the first monastery established in the region is of great importance in terms of Christian history. It was included in the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1985. It was built by St. Basil, who was the archbishop of Kayseri in the 4th century and made the first orthodox interpretation of Christianity. After the death of Jesus, Christianity spread rapidly but changed to different interpretations. Those who opposed this change were called Orthodox. St. Basil visited many monasteries in the world and returned to the Cappadocia region in order to activate his thoughts and built the current Göreme Open Air Museum. In this way, he gathered monks with different views and organized the monastic life by setting rules. The monastery, which is also important in terms of architecture, consists of parts such as churches, dining halls, warehouses and cemeteries completely carved into the rock. Its most important church is the Dark Church and contains the best preserved frescoes in the region. It also offers an excellent view with the valleys surrounding it and the huge fairy chimneys it contains.
- Kaymakli Underground City
Although the exact date of construction is not known, archaeologists have determined that it belongs to the Hittites (2000 BC). It is known that the first floors were used during the Hittites period, but the main part was built by the Christians who escaped from the Roman invasion towards the end of the 3rd century AD. Underground cities used for shelter were built in such a way as to enable them to survive for a short time. It consists of many parts such as dining halls, ventilation shafts, food warehouses, wineries, sitting areas, barns, sliding doors and a church. Kaymaklı underground city is the largest of the underground cities that can be visited in the region. The large stone block that you can see in the kitchen draws attention. There are many holes in different sizes on it. The molten copper was shaped here and used to make the necessary materials for the kitchen.
Pigeons were raised in pigeon houses carved into the rocks to benefit from their manure for use in agriculture. Since pigeon manure is very valuable in terms of the substances it contains and is much more effective than other fertilizers, it has been very important for grape cultivation in the region. The valley offers a beautiful view where you can see the pigeon houses decorated with geometric shapes and the Uçhisar castle.
It has become one of the most popular travel spots with the most intense view of rock formations called fairy chimneys and the scenery it offers. The hermitage rooms carved into these fairy chimneys are important examples reflecting the lifestyle of the monks. There is also a chapel dedicated to St. Simon. Saint Simon lived for 37 years in a small hermitage built on a high column and became famous for his miracles. After his death, his followers who believed in his teachings formed a new trend and this group was named Stylites (saints living on the column). Some monks who came to the Cappadocia region lived a life similar to the mystical lifestyle of St. Simon, who lived in small cells they built on high fairy chimneys.
- Devrent (Imagination) Valley
The variety of formations of rock structures and their likeness to different species by humans offer an interesting and different experience. The most popular of these formations are camel, Napoleon's hat, Virgin Mary and child Jesus, bride and groom figures. Although there are not many traces of life in the valley, it has become one of the most popular travel spots in Cappadocia with its unique rock figures and its interesting and special view.
Avanos is an ancient city founded on the banks of the Kızılırmak. The Kızılırmak is the longest river that starts and ends in Turkey. The Kızılırmak divides the district in two from east to west. This city, divided by Kızılırmak, is connected to each other by 4 bridges. The oldest of these is the stone bridge. The reason why this river is called Kızılırmak is that a red clay layer was formed by the mixing of the minerals brought by the river from far away and the rich minarets in the Cappadocia region, and this added a reddish color to the river. It has lost this feature due to the dams built today. The city of Avanos has hosted a history of four thousand years, bearing the traces of Hittite, Phrygian, Persian, Assyrian, Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman. The art of jug making in this city is a legacy left by the Hittites and has been produced since 2000 BC. The Hittites were experts in pottery making. They built a pipeline to carry spring water to cities and meet their water needs. The water pipes used were also used to transfer polluted water and rain water.
Note
- Since the daily program flow may change according to some dynamics, there are events and brief information to be seen and experienced throughout the day in details.
