Cappadocia is known for housing a number of natural rock-cut caves and cave dwellings that have well been preserved for several years. Caves, shelters, houses, churches, and monasteries were carved into these soft rocks by people. Several of them have also been turned into hotels that offer a unique experience when you stay here.
Located in the Anatolian part of Turkey, the Cappadocia region is famous for its showcase of the ancient civilizations from thousands of years ago that are seen in carved houses and churches within the earth pillars. These cave dwellings are constructed on the foot of the mountains by cutting through rocks and stones. These cave houses are fundamentally old houses that were carved by people who lived here ages ago and which served as living and work spaces as well as religious buildings such as monasteries and churches. Embark on a memorable journey to Cappadocia as part of your Turkey vacation package, immersing yourself in the rich tapestry of ancient civilizations and marveling at the remarkable cave dwellings carved into the earth pillars.
It is said that about 30 million years ago there were three volcanic eruptions from the Erciyes, Hasan, and Melendiz Daðlari and the volcanic tufa that was accumulated led people from ancient times to build dwellings into them. These were very soft materials and thus building into them was easy. Moreover, they made for comfortable housing which was warm in winter, and cool in summer, and also served as a good hideout in wartimes. Today you can find several of these dwellings with murals from the Hittite Empire and the Neo-Hittite period. You can also witness some high standards of building techniques with several military tunnels as well as artistic features such as religious paintings on the walls.
Highlights
• Explore these brilliant caves that served as houses several centuries ago and get mesmerized by learning how people lived and raised families here during those times
• Learn about the rich geological, historical and cultural importance of the place through these cave dwellings
• Witness how the soft rocks of these caves led the dwellers here to carve out caves, shelters, houses, churches and monasteries within them
• Find out what happened to the place at the end of the Roman period when it became an Orthodox monastic center around the 4th century.
• Explore 34 well-preserved churches left from that period, so all are from the 13 century Seljuk conquest
• Discover the ancient dwellings that are scattered across an area of almost 100 km from Goreme and showcase brilliant craftsmanship
• Visit some of the cave dwellings that are still occupied today and run cafes, shops, as well as lodging for a distinct experience
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