Cappadocia Turkey About Capadocia

Cappadocia Turkey Information

Cappadocia is surrounded by Vocanic Erciyes Dağı (Mount A rgaeus) (3916 meters high) in the east, Hasan Dağı (3253 meters high) which is again volcanic in the south, the Kızılırmak river in the north and Tuz Gölü (Lake Tuz), which is 900 meters above sea level, in the west.

Volcanic movements in the region have been formed in the new geologic age. The region was also largely eroded in the new geologic age. The dominant climate in Cappadocia is steppe. Volcanic movement, erosion, Ürgüp, Göreme, Zelve, Uçhisar, Çavuşin, Ortahisar, each of which has a different land formation, hand­carvings by the people living there on the rocks, the underground cities, their paintings, mysterious remains describing their religion and social way of life are still attractive for many people. Görerne is the national park of the region.

Capadocia, the region between Ankara and Malatya, between the Black Sea and the Taurus Mountains, with its centre at Kay­seri, was once the heart of the Hittite Empire, later an independent kingdom, then a vast Roman province mentioned several times in the Bible.

Today the name survives to describe one of Turkey's most visited tourist areas, the moonscape around the town of Ürgüp and the Göreme Valley. Since the name doesn't appear on official road maps, you'll need to know that 'Cappadocia' is the area bordered by Kayseri in the east, Aksaray in the west, Hacıbektaş to the norm and Niğde to the south.

For all its seeming barrenness, the mineral-laden volcanic soil is very fertile and Cappadocia today is a prime agricultural region with many fruit orchards and vine-yards. Little wineries experiment with the excellent grapes, sometimes with pleasant results. Irrigation schemes should greatly increase the productivity of the region.

Another source of vvealth is carpet-making, but these days tourism is Cappadocia's industry par excellence. People come from ali över the world to visit the Göreme Open-Air Museum, to explore the rock-hewn churches and dwellings in surrounding valleys, to gaze on the fairy chimneys and to plumb the depths of the underground cities at Derinkuyu and Kaymaklı.