KAPADOKYA ‘A little insight’ Kapadokya is famed for its Lunar landscape, astounding underground cities and spectacular rock churches with their walls decorated with vivid Byzantine frescoes. The unforgettable landscape of this region originated as volcanic ash spewed out by Mounts Hasan and Erciyes during their active period. Eventually the ash solidified into soft tufa stone, and was then shaped over time by natural forces into a variety of “lunar” formations. Human hands carved the canyon faces, cones, and rock pillars into homes, churches and monasteries. The ancient region of Kapadokya lies in central Anatolia, between the cities of Nevflehir, Kayseri and Ni¤de. Here, the traveller finds one of the most fantastic landscapes in the world.Wind and weather have eroded soft volcanic rock into hundreds of strangely shaped pillars,
cones and "fairy chimneys", often very tall, and in every shade from pink through yellow to russet browns. Kapadokya is an extraordinary land, combining unique and beautiful natural features with a fascinating cultural and historical past. Hittites, Byzantines and early Christians established important landmarks here, as did Mother Nature with her stunning erosion of the soft volcanic deposits. It is also a wonderful region for trekking and for photosafaris. The scenery is breathtaking in all four seasons: miniature poppies in the springtime, the fruit and flowers of summertime, autumn's grapes and blaze of gold, and the winter blanket of snow.
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