LAND OF THE BEAUTIFUL HORSES…

Cappadocia is formed at the centre of a once volcanic region; millions of years ago, two large volcanoes erupted with such force that in some places the once molten lava, or tufa, was up to 100m thick. Over time, wind and weather have sculpted the Cappadocian landscape, forming the pinnacles and peaks now known as ‘fairy chimneys’.

Meaning ‘the land of beautiful horses’ in an ancient Persian language, Cappadocia is home to the Goreme National Park region, which was an official state during Roman times and the area has even featured as a backdrop in numerous films.

This spectacular landscape has been the home of man for thousands of years. Neolithic man was the first to carve the rock into inhabitable caves; early Christians followed by building and enlarging natural caves to create underground cities, monasteries and churches in the soft tufa. The labyrinth of caves also feature ventilation shafts and false tunnels built for defence, as these caves were often used as places of refuge.