Travel Spotlight: Cappadocia, Turkey
Ancient structures, Old World artisanship, and generous hospitality abound in this inland region
It’s easy to get lost in the beauty of the Cappadocia region of Turkey, an historical area in Central Anatolia. While Istanbul comes to mind for many travelers looking to spend a little time in Turkey, the Cappadocia region is full of picturesque landscapes and historical wonders. The region has a rich artisan presence that can be seen in the home products produced there today.
The region is rife with history. Once a part of the ancient Roman Empire, Cappadocia is mentioned in the Bible for its role in the early spread of Christianity. Its recorded activity hails originally to the Persian Empire, when Darius the Great and his son, Xerxes I, ruled the province. One of its wonders—about 40 underground cities—dates from ancient times. They purportedly were dug by ancient villagers as a way to escape persecution and foreign raids.
Today, some of these caves have been restored and repurposed as tourist attractions, including as underground boutique hotels. Cappadocia cave Airbnb, anyone? The subterranean cities, many of which are as deep as 12 stories underground, were dug into the soft basalt rock that covers the region from early volcanic eruptions. The caves housed everything a village needed to survive underground. The upper levels contained stables, with living quarters beneath them. The ancient villagers embraced every opportunity for self-sufficiency; even a wine press and copper foundry have been unearthed in at least one underground city. Two of the popular restored cave cities to visit are Derinkuyu and Kaymakli.
Byzantine monks painted seccoes (frescoes on dry plaster) on the walls of the underground rock churches, many of which can still be seen today. They also carved furniture for the churches out of the rock. A popular place to see the churches and paintings is the Göreme Open Air Museum.
While a hot-air balloon ride across the area provides a bird’s-eye view of the lunar-like landscape, boots-on-the-ground is the best way to see the caves and the otherworldly fairy chimneys shaped by wind and water erosion on the volcanic mountainscape. Monks Valley is a good place to see impressive fairy chimneys. Ancient residents also carved rocky cliff outcroppings into castles and homes for refuge, some of which are open-air attractions now due to the effects of erosion over time. The valleys between the mountains also contain notable rock formations and attractions, such as the Zelve Valley’s open-air museum.
One of the most memorable valleys is Pigeon Valley, located in the heart of Cappodocia. Ninth-century villagers carved dovecotes, aka pigeon houses, into the rock formations and began the practice of pigeon keeping. They used the guano produced by the birds to fertilize their vineyards and trained the pigeons to carry messages through the valley to their neighbors to warn of Roman, Persian or Syrian invaders. The stories behind the dovecotes are wonderful representations of the symbiosis between nature and people. Other valleys have impressively unique features, such as Sword Valley, named after the shape of its eroded rock formations.
Ancient artisan techniques, still practiced today by companies such as Hadosan Carpet’s handwoven Turkish rugs and Galip Korukçu’s hand-formed ceramics using the area’s red clay, allow visitors to experience the area’s rich cultural heritage. The area is well known as the birthplace of Turkish rug weaving, first practiced there in the 11th century. As still seen today, rugs of this region feature intricate patterns and bright colors and are hand-knotted from high-quality materials like wool. Both of these companies’ one-of-a-kind, handmade products can be sourced by homeowners and designers through The Wren.
Says The Wren’s founder, Lori Bate, “Be prepared for Turkish hospitality. My experience in the region was full of generous offers to visit with the artisans and residents of Cappadocia. Don’t be surprised to receive an invitation to tea or a shared meal.”
