Soganli Turkey Soganli Valley Sondos

Soganli Turkey, Soganli Valley

Soğanlı was founded in the valley, 65 km. south of Ürgüp and 25 km. to Derinkuyu. it was called "Sondos" in the ancient times. After the Seljuks, it was Sonakaldı and now its name is Soğanlı.

There are two valleys around Balık brook and there are a lot of churches around these valleys.

You can visit Ak Kilise (White Church), Büyük Kilise (Big Church) which retain their colors and motifs today or Meryem Ana Kilisesi (Virgin Mary Church), Yılanlı Kilise (Church of the Serpents) and Canavarlı Kilise (The Church with Dragon) in which you can see the fighting of St. Georges with the dragon pictured, around the main water bed (they are probably of 15th or 16th centuries).

On the other valley there are churches with paintings as well. While climbing to the upper Soğanlı, nests of pigeons capture your interest. You can visit Saint-Jean Church which retains its colors and motifs just like yesterday. And there are Saint Georges Kilisesi (Saint Georges Church), Geyikli Kilise (Church with the Hart) in the lower Soğanlı. There is a picture of a hart in Geyikli, symbolizing St. Eustache.