Ihlara Valley
The volcanic eruption of
Hasandagi led to tectonic
movements that left the
surface of the region
covered with a layer of
volcanic rock. The same
volcanic activity led to
pressure and heat being put
upon the limestone causing
it to crack and create
naturally spouting springs
of hot water, these can be
seen at the Ziga Springs
between Ihlara and
Yaprakhisar. The structural
characteristics of the
region due to volcanic
eruption produced tufa
outcrops which were moulded
by wind, erosion and other
natural phenomena and
created the strange and
colorful Fairy Chimneys that
are also encountered at
Selime and Yaprakhisar. The
tectonic movoments produced
tufa rock that in some
places is soft and in others
is coloured grey, green and
brown. Huge areas of
crumbling rock completely
covered the area in its
debris. The Ihlara valley
alogside the melendiz River
is a result of this
disintegration that created
a canyon with a deep base.
The fast flowing river is in
places between 100 and 200 m
deep and it divides the
valley into two; it
continues towards Aksaray with the name
Ulunmak until reaches Tuz
Golu (Salt Lake).
Aksaray Province of Cappadocia region was an important religious centre in Christianity's very earliest days. Founders of orders like Basilof kayseri and Greegory of Nazianos lived here in the 4th century. A different set of monastic rules than the system used in Egypt ad Syria was determined here. Although the monks in Egypt and Syria cut themselves off from relationships with the wordly things the monks under Basil and Gregory did not. The birthplace for this concept was Belisirma. Gregory, offering a new explanation for the Holy Trinity, brought about a debate concering the divinity of Christ. His ideas prevailed at the Council of Iznik. Thus an innovator became a saint for the the rock region of Belisirma, Ihlara and Gelveri where Gregory lived. With the defensive castles of Mount Hasan providing defence against Arab invasions the churces were able to continue in peaceful worship. The Ihlara Valley has
protected these rock-cut
dwellings ad churhes with
frescoes and they come down
to us a unique historical
treasury. These frescoed
churches and dwellings
easily carved into rock from
the early years of
Christianity are scattered
all along the way from
Ihlara to Selime through the Ihlara valley. Ihlara valley has been formed at an approximate depth of 150 due that the erosion made by Melendiz river coming from the mountains of Melendiz to the volcanic rocks. Due that the richness of the watering possibility and its hidden form and easily to hide structure it was the first settlement place of the first Christians escaping from the Roman soldiers In the Ihlara Valley there are hundreds of antic churches caved in the volcanic rocks. The most known Ihlara valley churches are Agacalti Church with cross plan, Sümbüllü Church, Pürenliseki Church, Kokar Church, Yilanli Church, Karagedik Church, Kirkdamatli Church, Direkli Church, Ala Church, Kemerli Church and Egritas Church. How can you go: You can go to Ihlara valley from Aksaray province 40 km. Aksaray is 674 km. far from Istanbul, 225 km. from Ankara, 693 km. from Izmir. |