Çavuşin, the rock with a basalt cap,
has been largely eroded by erosion and
has partially collapsed as well as a part
of the village that rose in tiers on the
slopes of the cliff. On the top was the
Basilica of St John the Baptist. The Church
of Emperor Nicephor Phocas is located
outside the village.
Zelve is the name of a valley and
cave-dwelling village inhabited until
the 1950s. The local population had to
be moved to the new settlement of Zelve
(Yeni Zelve) because of the danger caused
by collapsing. Now the site is an open-air
museum. Not far at Paşabağ among
the vineyards, there is a large concentration
of Fairy Chimneys.
Avanos
is a town located on the banks of the
Kızılırmak,
old Halys River, which is the longest
river within Turkey. Kızılırmak means
"red river" because of the
presence, in this region, of iron ore
that colors the silt which is collected
inside caves. It is then refined in
order to get the raw material necessary
to the realization of ceramics. Pottery
is one of the principal activities in
Avanos along with wine growing and weaving.
There are numerous shops and workshops
where
it is usually possible to try your hand
at making a pot.
The Avanos
International Handycraft and Pottery
exhibit takes place every year in July.
Kayseri which
is situated at the foot of Erciyes
Dağı (Mount Argaeus 3916m/12,850
ft), was built around a Christian
monastery erected by St Basil (the
first bishop of Ceasarea) in the north
of the ancient capital called Caesarea
of Cappadocia. It rapidely developed
during the Byzantine
period. In the 11C an important Armenian
colony settled here before the conquest
of the place by the Seljuks.
The Crusaders, the Mongols and the
Mamelukes succeeded tı one another.
Sultan Selim united the city to the
Ottoman Empire
in 1515.
Kayseri is the largest city in the
region and is linked to İstanbul
and Ankara by daily flights.
Kayseri is also a small ski resort.
The culinary speciality is the "manti"
, a kind of pasta filled with minced
lamb meat and served with (or without
according to taste) garlic. The "pide"
(a thin bread dough covered and baked
with any combiantion of cheese, lamb
meat, egg...) made in the region are
among the best in Turkey.
The
main curiosities are :
The
Seljuk Fortress
opening on the Bazaar and its busy
streets.
Honat
Hatun Cami
(Honat Hatun Mosque)
Döner Kümbet
(the revolving mausoleum) is a richly
decorated round mausoleum with a cone-shaped
roof. It was built in 1276 for Djihan
Hatun, the daughter of famous Seljuk
sultan Alaeddin Keykubat I. The
Archaeoligical Museum
also exhibits
finds from Kültepe.
The Ethnographical Museum holds
interesting collections from the Seljuk
Period.
Also the Türbe
of Princess Mahperi and the Huand Medresesi
built in the 13C, Ulu Cami that is the
oldest 12C mosque, Çifte Kümbet the
"double mausoleum", Sahibiye
and Hacı Kılıç Medrese, Hoca Hasan Küllük
and Kurşunlu Mosques.
Mount Argaeus
Döner Kümbet
Kültepe
is the ancient Hittite
city Kanesh where a colony of
Assyrian
merchants traded metals. Numerous tablets
known as "Cappadocian Tablets"
and written in cuneiform scripts in
the Assyrian language which are real
trading records, have been found here.
The finds are exhibited in the local
museum, in the Kayseri Archaeoligical
Museum and in the Museum of Anatolian
Civilization in Ankara.
Sultan
Sazlığı
is a vast marshy area and a
bird sanctuary where many species
can be seen, particularly in
spring and autumn during periods
of migration. It is possible
to take a short boat ride through
the bulrush.
Ürgüp
is a charming and busy town whose
oldest houses are either cave-dwellings
or are supported by the rocks.
Modern buildings are inspired
by the traditional local architecture
and are built with this pinkish
beige cappadocian limestone. Other
curiosities are the touristic
village and the museum.
There are many wineries in Ürgüp
where it is possible to taste
and buy the famous Cappadocian
wines.
The
Ürgüp International Grape Harvest
Festival takes place every year
in September.
Mustafapaşa
(Sinasos) is a charming big village
where beautiful oldGreek houses
and other buildings with beautiful architecture
can be seen. In the vicinity are the Aghios
Vasilos Church and Constantine and Helen
Church located in the Valley of the
Monasteries and also the St Basil
Chapel located in the GömedeValley.
Cemilköy
is another small picturesque village
of the region.