20 th.EMYR MERSİN PROGRAMME 28-29 MAY 2009 CAPPADOCIA

Cappadocia is a great treasure gifted by the God, the most perfect gallery where the nature exhibits its beauties. The miraculous Cappadocia region is defined by the area occupied by the provinces of Aksaray, Navşehir, Niğde, Kayseri and Kırşehir while the Rocky Cappadocia region covers Uchisar, Goreme, Avanos, Urgup, Derinkuyu, Kaymaklı, Ihlara and the vicinties.

Cappadocia has spread its wings around the mankind for ages, with its natural miracle beyond imagination, reading to historical and cultural accomodation. Having started to shape millions of years ago, this region presents the unique aesthetics of the curvy rocks, the Fairy Chimneys as the place for angels, and sanctuaries and shelters dug deep underground with in a mystifying atmosphere

CITIES/PLACES YOU MAY VISIT IN CAPPADOCIA Nevsehir Uchisar Goreme Deep Well and Underground City Open Air Museum Avanos The Baloon Tour

NEVSEHİR Uchisar, Avanos, Goreme, Ürgüp, Zelve, Derinkuyu, Gülşehir and Kozaklı located in the province of Nevşehir are places worth to visit. In Nevşehir and its towns, where history, nature and culture coexist, churches with high importance for the Christian world, underground cities, miraculous valleys and Fairy Chimneys are worth seeing.

NEVSEHİR The city is located at a distance of 290 km (180 mi) from the capital Ankara, and is within the historical region of Cappadocia. The traditional main sources of income of the city, carpet weaving and viticulture have been overtaken by tourism, because of its proximity to the underground shelters, the fairy chimneys, monasteries, caravanserais and the famous rock-hewn churches of Göreme.

The city is located on the Nevsehir-Göreme road, 7 kms from Nevşehir. UÇHİSAR The city is located on the Nevsehir-Göreme road, 7 kms from Nevşehir. Located in the highest point in the region Üçhisar is the oldest settlement.

UÇHİSAR CASTLE The Üçhisar Castle is, the panoromic view of the region. The numerous rooms in the castle are interconnected with stairs, tunnels and coridors. In the entrances of rooms, there are slider rocks to control entry and exit just like in the underground residences. Some places in the multi-storey castle have occasionally collapsed.

GÖREME Goreme is a town in the Cappadocia region of Turkey. The town is centered in the middle of a internationally popular region that is best known for its natural rock formations, often called "fairy chimneys". Goreme has a wide selection of natural and cultural wonders. Simply walking through the village you will be amazed at the bizarre 'fairy chimney' rocks cut naturally by the wind and rain.

GÖREME OPEN AIR MUSEUM Cappadocia's most famous attraction, for good reason, is the Göreme Open Air Museum, a complex of medieval painted cave churches carved out by Orthodox monks. The Open Air Museum is located in Turkey's Göreme Valley, a 15-minute walk There are over 10 cave churches in the Göreme Open Air Museum. Along with rectories, dwellings, and a religious school, they form a large monastic complex carved out of a roughly ring-shaped rock formation in the otherworldy landscape of Cappadocia. Entrance to the site is on the north side. St. Basil's Church (Basil Kilise) Apple Church (Elmali Kilise) St. Barbara Chapel Snake Church Dark Church (Karanlik Kilise) St. Catherine Chapel Sandal Church (Çarikli Kilise) Buckle Church (Tokali Kilise)

St. Basil's Church (Aziz Basil Kilisesi)

Apple Church (Elmali Kilise)

St. Barbara Chapel

Snake Church

Dark Church (Karanlik Kilise) Crucifixion in the Dark Church

St. Catherine Chapel

Sandal Church (Çarikli Kilise)

Buckle Church (Tokali Kilise) Interior of the large Buckle Church

DEEP WELL (DERİNKUYU) / GÖREME Located in Cappadocia Derinkuyu is notable for its large multi-level underground city (Derinkuyu Underground City), which is a major tourist attraction. The historical region of Cappadocia, where Derinkuyu is situated, contains several historical underground cities, carved out of a unique geological formation, and were largely used by early Christians as hiding places. The troglodyte cities at Derinkuyu and Kaymaklı are two of the best examples of underground dwellings.

DEEP WELL (DERİNKUYU) / GÖREME The oldest written source about underground cities is the writings of Xenophon. In his Anabasis he writes that the people living in Anatolia had excavated their houses underground, living well in accommodations large enough for the family, domestic animals, and supplies of stored food.[4] A Church in Derinkuyu Derinkuyu Underground City provided a refuge for the region's inhabitants such as christians through the ages, for early Christians as well as possibly earlier dwellers, to Greeks hiding from the raids of the Umayyad Arab and Abbasid armies. The cities contained food stores, kitchens, stalls, churches, wine and oil presses, ventilation shafts, wells and a religious school. The Derinkuyu underground city has at least eight levels and depth of 85 m and could have sheltered thousands of persons.

AVANOS The old city of Avanos, whose name in ancient times was Venessa overlooks the longest river of Turkey, the Kızılırmak (Red River), which also separates Avanos from the rest of Cappadocia. The most famous historical feature of Avanos, which is still relevant and very visible today, is its production of earthenware pottery. The ceramic trade in this district and its countless pottery factories date right back to the Hittites, and the ceramic clay from the red silt of the Kızılırmak has always been used. It is a popular destination because of its attractive old town with cobbled streets, and superb views over the river.

Balloon Rides Balloon Rides are one of the most popular activities in Goreme. Typically lifting off at sunrise, these rides last around 45 minutes and literally go wherever the wind may blow in the Cappadocia Valley. The balloon carriages hold around ten people with the pilot riding air currents much like a boat, floating down the valleys, often below the ridge line and quite close to the chimney rocks. It's a fantastic ride and if you've ever had the urge to splurge on a balloon ride (approx. €150), this would be the place to do it.

Baloon Rides Pictures

Baloon Rides Pictures

Baloon Rides Pictures

Thanks For Your Attention………….