Pasabag

PASABAG Fairy Chimneys by synnwang

Bearing the same first name as that of St. Stylite who had lived in solitary at the top of a column in Syria, this monk made the bed and sitting furniture in his cell by carving them out of the rock. Pasabag also contains a chapel dedicated to St. Simeon. In one other chapel, a striking inscription reads, as follows: “O Grave, Take me unto you as you took Stylite.”

Mustafapasa (Sinasos)

The houses dating back to the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries display fine examples of stonework. The Gomede valley, to the west of Mustafapasa, resembles a small version of the Ihlara valley. As at Ihlara, the walls of the valley house churches and shelters carved from the rock, and a river runs through the valley.

The important churches and monastreies around Mustafapasa are, the church of Aios Vasilos, the Church of Constantine-HNelene, churches in the Monastery Valley and, the Church of St.Basil in the Gomede valley.

There is also a caravanserai built during the Ottoman period and displaying fine examples of stone masonry and woodcraft.

In the strange and wonderful landscape of Cappadocia is the old, tranquil and picturesque town of Mustafapasa 5 km from Urgup. Known formerly as Sinassos, this is a small town of 2500 inhabitants where originally Turks and Greeks lived side by side, and the sound of church bells mingled with the call to prayer from the mosque. The road to Mustafapasa winds through a green valley watered by many tiny streams and is lined by rustling poplars. The old houses of the town nestle at the foot of Golgoli, a high hill of Cappadocia�s yellow volcanic rock. As you enter the central square you encounter a magnificent building on the left. This is Sinassos Hotel, originally the private residence of an Anatolian Greek who owned shops in Istanbul’s Fish Market and had this house built in 1892. Further along the road leading off the square is Şakir Paşa Medrese, an Ottoman period university college with an intricately carved portal now housing a traditional carpet centre. It was constructed in the 19th century by Mısırlı Şakir Paşa to educate the sons of Turkish families in the town. Adjoining the medrese are two houses with large courtyards dating from the beginning of this century. Over the gate of one is the date, 1900, and the name of the owner. Opposite Şakir Paşa Medrese is the Aşagı Mosque, formerly known as Camii Kebir, dating from 1600, although the portico and one minaret are recent additions. The old minaret is in Seljuk style, in interesting contrast to the new minaret.

Mustafapasa was given tourism site status in 1981, and the 93 traditional stone houses in the town dating from the late 19th and early 20th century are under conservation order and awaiting restoration. Passing several of these brings you to a second square, on which stands the Church of Constantine and sinassos2.jpg (21428 bytes)Helen, one of the town�s foremost monuments. It is dedicated to Constantine the Great and his empress, Helena. The frescos date from 1895 and were executed by a Greek artist named Kostis Meletyades who had been trained in Venice. Seated at tables on the pavement outside the cafés around the square, elderly men sip their tea as they play backgammon or watch the visitors to the town with curiosity and smile in greeting. Another old building on the square houses the local library, and next to that is the Taş Fırın bakery of Mustafapasa whose bread is famed throughout Cappadocia. The town is surrounded by apricot, apple and pear orchards, and vineyards. Wine production is a major part of the local economy, and there are two wine factories with a total output of around 600 tons per year, all of which is sold to local hotels and restaurants. As well as wine, the small black grapes of the region are used to make pekmez, or grape treacle. When autumn comes the local women tuck up the legs of their baggy şalvar and set about the task of making pekmez for the winter. The technique is the same as that used by the Hittites thousands of years before! The grapes are heaped into shallow stone pits and the women tread barefoot on them to crush out the juice, which is then siphoned off into huge cauldrons placed on wood fires in the garden. The people of Mustafapasa are friendly to strangers and always ready for a chat or to invite them into their homes. Two of the oldest inhabitants of the town, Şabat Topuz and Süleyman Temur, are delighted to find listeners for their ancient local tales. The houses built of the soft local stone are cool in summer and warm in winter. Some are now run as guest houses or small hotels. The hills around are filled with Byzantine rock churches, chapels and monasteries. In the Gömede valley are the churches of St. Steven and St. Basil, and 2 kilometres away is the Church of St. Nicholas. Another church of St. Basil in a nearby valley is a three story rock church whose interior is decorated with frescos depicting scenes from the bible. So if you plan a holiday in Cappadocia, do not miss visiting Mustafapasa, or perhaps make it your base for touring this fascinating region of Central Turkey. 

Goreme

As an outcome of intense Christian migration in the eighth century by ordinary people and ecclesiastics who were fleeing from oppression to go into hiding here, dwellings, churches and monasteries were constructed for their residences and worship; for this reason Göreme valley became one of the most prominent religious centers of Anatolia. These structures which they created with the technique of rock carving possess plain entrances, simple plans and hemispherical vaults.

The most prominent quality of the structures resides in their frescoes. In the iconoclastic era, they depict symbolic and geometric motifs, such as fish, roosters and grapes; after the close of the iconoclastic period, they portray saints and religious scenes.

Two important techniques are utilized in the paintings.The first technique is the application of paint on a layer of wet plaster. The second technique employs the stone wall as the ground. Because tufa has no moisture absorp tion property, the frescoes still preserve their vividness.

Goreme (Greek: Κόραμα ("Korama")), located among the "fairy chimneys" rock formations, is a town in Cappadocia, a historical region of Turkey. It is in the Nevşehir Province in Central Anatolia. The Göreme National Park (Göreme Milli Parklar in Turkish) was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1985.

The first period of settlement within the region reaches to Roman period of Christianity era. Among historical sites are Ortahane, Durmus Kadir, Yusuf Koc and Bezirhane churches in Göreme, including Tokali Kilise, the Apple Church, houses and shafts engraved from rocks.

Getting Goreme

Goreme is 15 km east of Nevşehir and 5 km west of Urgup. You can reach to Goreme by bus, minibus and taxi from Nevşehir.

Coach Station Tel: +90 384 271 24 35

Uchisar

With the distance of 80 km to Kayseri, Aksaray and Nigde it is also located at the center of Great Cappadocia. As its distance to big cities ; Ankara : 280 km, Konya : 220 km,  Mersin : 260 km, Istanbul : 670 km, Ýzmir : 750 km. By airplane The convenient airport is that of Kayseri ( 80 km- 1 hour ) where there are many flights every day. Kapadokya Airport (50 km ) is also open and used mainly for charter flights especially in summer period.

It is not possible to differentiate the history of Uchisar from that of Cappadocia. In the archaeological researches conducted in Cappadocia in Asikli Hoyuk and Topakli Hoyuk some findings of neolithic age, in Acemhoyuk and in Kultepe near Kayseri of Assyrian Trade Colonies period, Hittite and Late Hittite period have been discovered.

Uchisar entered under ottoman rule during the reign of Yildirim Bayezid at the end of 14th century and with the rule of Mehmet 2nd in the second half of 15th century political stability was established in the region.

In 16th century Uchisar was a provincial center and even Nevsehir was a village which depended on Uchisar. In 18th century during the famous ottoman Prime Minister Damat Ibrahim Pasa invested a lot on Nevþehir which was then called Muskara and made it a bigger town. With the development of Gulþehir as well Uchisar started to lose its importance and when we came to 20th century with the new republic of Turkey, increasing stability and security in the region made it unnecessary the need for a castle for protection and Uchisar has become a sightseeing post.

Uchisar is one of the municipalities in the region. In 1960 since Uchisar Castle has been declared as a disaster zone, the new village has been founded at the southern and southeastern plain behind the castle.

Cappadocia

During the Roman Emperor, Augustus period, territories of Cappadocia as a wide region lying till to the Toros Mountains at south, Aksaray at west, Malatya at east and Eastern Black Sea shores at north within the 17 volume book named ‘Geographika’ of Strabon, one of the Antic Period writers. Today’s Cappadocia is the area covered by Nevsehir, Aksaray, Nigde, Kayseri, and Kirsehir cities. More limited area, rocky Cappadocia is composed of Uchisar, Goreme, Avanos, Urgup, Derinkuyu, Kaymakli, Ihlara and environment.

Traditional Cappadocia houses and dovecotes carved into stones are showing the uniqueness of the region. These houses are constructed on the feet of the mountain via rocks or cut stones. Rock, which is the only construction material of the region, as it is very soft after quarry due to the structure of the region, can be easily processed but after contact with air it hardens and turns into a very strong construction material. Due to being plentiful and easy to process of the used material, regional unique masonry is developed and turned into an architectural tradition. Materials of neither courtyard nor house doors is wood. Upper parts of the doors built with arches are decorated with stylized ivy or rosette motifs.

Dovecotes within the region are small structures constructed within 18th century and end of 19th century. Some of the dovecotes, which are important for showing Islamic picture art are constructed as monastery or church. Surfaces of dovecotes are decorated with rich inscriptions and adornments by regional artists.

Zelve

Cappadocia – Zelve Valley by Traces in the Sand

Here are two canyons in a hidden valley to casual view. Because of the favorable conditions for defense of its site, it was the scene of human habitation continuous from early times.Zelve is thought that the earliest settlements occurred in the Byzantine period. It became of the most important settlements and religious centers for the Christian community between the ninth and thirteenth centuries. Zelve held a position of prominence for the earliest ecclesiastical councils.Zelve sheltered a quite dense populace, and vidence of their daily life has survived to the present. The places where they drew water and ground their grains and conducted their worship are still standing. These churches-most of which were built during the iconoclastic era-are built on the plan of one or two naves or a double nave. The pictorial and other decoration of the church is dated to the ninth-tenth centuries. Üzümlü and Gerikli are the most important churches. A mosque carved out of the rock can also be found here. In recent times, the Muslim community removed to Yeni Zelzeve (Aktepe) after 1950 when, due to the characteristic erosion of the tufa, the mosque became subject to the threat of collapse and destruction.

Zelve Monastery

Zelve Monastery was carved into the rock in pre-Iconoclastic times. The Zelve monastery complex is located on the northern slopes of Aktepe, 1km from Pasabaglari and 10 km out from Goreme on the Avanos road. Zelve does not have the rich frescoes of Goreme and other Cappodocian locations. Spread out over three valleys the monastery is still rich in its own beauty. The valleys can provide you with plenty of hiking and exploring. The complex contains innumerable rooms and passages which also house many pointed fairy chimneys with large stems, at about 40 feet above the valley floor.

Zelve, though recently uninhabited, was an important settlement and religious area during the 9th and 13th centuries.

Cappodica’s first seminaries to train priests are located here at the monastery. Dating back to the early years of monastery life in Zelve is the Direkli Church (with the Columns). Direkli is located at the bottom of the slope. The main decorations are Iconoclastic-doctrine high relief crosses. The valley also contains the Balikli (Fish), Uzumlu (Grapes), and Geyikli (Deer) Churches. These churches date to the Pre-Iconoclastic period. The area was inhabited until 1952. The area also contains houses, a tunnel joining two of the valleys, a mill, and a mosque. Several dovecotes are found in the valley.

The town Avanos is famous for its colourful earthenware pots. Numerous workshops allow visitors to watch how they are made. The material used for the pottery is the red clay from the Kýzýlýrmak River, known as the longest river of Turkey.

Urgup

It has many hotels and guest-houses, good entertainment, old Greek houses from before the population exchange of 1923, and an atmosphere which has remained attached to its tradition despite a modernising tourist industry.

It is a good base to explore the nearby Goreme Valley.

Climate

From season to season, the climate is quite extreme. Summers are hot and dry, with warm nights. Winters are cold and it can even snow, while spring and autumn are mild.

History

With a geological structure of volcanic formations, Urgup was established within the region which had been shaped into fantastic forms known as ‘Fairy Chimneys’, through erosions of water and wind. The were formed as floodwater poured down the sides of the valleys, combined with strong winds which tore away the softer volcanic rocks, resulting in this unique landscape. It is an important centre in Cappadocia, and has been known by many names: Osian (Assiana), Hagios Prokopios (Byzantine), Bashisar (Seljuk), Burgat Kaalesi (Ottoman) and finally Urgup, from shortly after the founding of the Turkish Republic.

Nevsehir

Nevsehir’s ancient name was “Nyssa”. The Christian theologian and saint Gregory of Nyssa was bishop of Nyssa in the late 4th century AD.

In the Ottoman period Nyssa was renamed “Muskara”. The son-in-law of Sultan Ahmet III, the Osmanli (Ottoman) Grand Vizier İbrahim Pasa was born in Nevsehir and therefore took a great interest in its construction. The small village with 18 houses, once under the administration of Urgup, was transformed with the building of mosques, fountains, schools, soup kitchens, inns and bath houses, and its name was changed from Muskara to "Nevsehir" (meaning New City in Persian). It is 290 km. from the capital Ankara, and on the edge of Cappadocia.

Nevsehir is the capital of the Cappadocia region and is a perfect starting point for  the area. The first settlements date back to 3000 BC; its oldest name was "Nyssa." The city also has some interesting remains from the Seljuk period, such as the castle which stands at the highest point of the city. The Kursunlu Mosque has an impressive complex of buildings and a medresse surrounding it which dates back to 1726. The museum displays a rich collection of the local finds.

Gulsehir, and Hacibektas which is the town where Haci Bektas Veli settled in the 14th century, and set up his own Bektas Dervish order which was based on love and humanism. Hacibektas is famous for its onyx souvenirs.

Cappadocia has one of the most interesting and spectacular landscapes in the world. About three million years ago the volcanoes of Mt. Erciyes and Mt. Hasan covered the surrounding plateau with volcanic tuff as a result of their violent eruptions. The natural effects of wind, water and rain eroded this area into a spectacular, surrealist landscape of rock caves, capped pinnacles and fretted ravines in colors ranging from warm tones of red and gold to cool tones of green and gray.

Dating back to 4000 BC; the earliest people used to live in Goreme, known as Cappadocia, in dwellings dug into the rock. Christianity came to the region, and chapels, churches and monasteries were constructed in the rocks. At Derinkuyu, Mazi and Kaymakli, cities were developed underground in order for the inhabitants to hide from raiders. There is another underground city -Ozkonak- which is also open to the public. They are really amazing to visit, and give a sense of the way people must have felt while living underground.

Haci Bektas

Pieces of arts which are belong to Ancient bronze Age, Hittite, Frig, Hellenistic and Roman Periods, and found as a result of excavations performed at province center are exhibited at Hacı Bektas Archeology Museum.

There is a Karaburna rock monument, which is written with Hittite hieroglyph, which belongs to Late Hittite Period, like at Topada and Sivasa, near to Karaburna village near to Hacı Bektaş.

Haci Bektas-i Veli and His Philosophy

It is thought that Haci Bektas – ı Veli, whose real name was Muhammed bin Musa and dates of birth and death are not certainly known, is born in 1209 – 1210, and died on 1270 – 1271. According to the told epics, he is from Nişabur. His childhood and youth is passed in Horasan, and learned philosophy, social and fundamental sciences at Hoca Ahmet Yesevi School. Hacibektaş, had come to Anatolia from Horasan in a period, when Seljukian’s political and economical order is corrupted, and divisions in management existed; and showed his best efforts for maintaining Turkish unity, and to become Anatolia into Turk and Islamic with visiting every villages and cities. He had trained young people in the school, which is established by him in formerly named as Sulucakarahöyük and currently named as Haci Bektas province; and tried to prevent Turkish language and culture from foreign impacts and degeneration.

His tolerance and humanity based thought system is reached and assumed by wide public masses within a short period of time. "End of the road, which don’t follow science, is dark", "Let women to be studied ", "Hold your hand, tongue and waist", "research is an open examination", "Whatever you search, search into yourself", "Don’t forget that even your enemy is a human". Above mentioned epigrams are best explaining the philosophy of Hacı Bektaş – ı Veli. His alignment is reflecting the same understanding with 1948 Human Rights Universal Declaration.

Climate

Summers are hot and dry, winters are cold and rainy in Haci Bektas which is within Cappadocia region.

Goreme Open Air Museum

Goreme Open Air Museum Churchs Turkey by ayca

The Goreme Open Air Museum of today is the place where this education system was started. Soğanlı, Ihlara, Açıksaray are locations where the same education system is seen later. The churches are painted in two types of techniques. The first is a painting made by directly smoothing the surface of the rock, and the second is a painting made on rock with the secco (tempera) and fresco techniques. The themes in the church are taken from the Bible and the life of Christ. In the Göreme Open – Air Museum, the Female and Male Monasteries, the St. Basil Church, the Elmali Church, the St. Barbara Church, the Yilanli Church, the Karanlik Church, the Carikli Church and the Tokali Church exist.

The Monasteries of Priestesses and Priests

The rock mass consisting of 6 – 7 floors located to the left of the museum entrance is known as "The Monastery of Priestesses". This monastery’s dining hall, a kitchen, a few rooms on the first floor, a destroyed chapel on the second floor can be visited. Its church on the 3rd floor (that is reached through a tunnel) has a cross dome, four columns and three absissas. The templon in the main apsis is not met in other churches in Göreme. There are red ornaments beside the Christ fresco made directly on rock. "The bolt stones" are used for closing the tunnels in case of a danger as it was done in the underground cities. In the Monastery of Priests on the right, the passages between the floors are closed because of erosion, therefore only a few rooms on the entrance floor can be seen.