Turkey 20: Goreme Open-Air Museum

Goreme is another area in Cappadocia which has large amounts of the same soft volcanic rock that we saw previously in Kaymakli Underground City.  Here, the stone has been carved to make above ground structures.

We stopped at a vantage point for this particular area, where people are still comfortably living in these places even today.

A closer view.  One can see how traditional houses have been built in front of the carved out area.

An even closer look at an area off to the right of the photo above. Notice windows on many different levels.  Many of these places are multistory dwellings.

Further, yet, to the right of the above images, we see numerous cones of rock, many of which have had a dwelling carved inside.

Here's one by the side of the road that is also in use today.  Notice the vehicles parked in front under the tree.

This is now part of the Goreme Museum proper.  The ancient Christians carved this huge church out of the rock.

Here we are inside another of the several Christian churchs carved out of the rock here.  Notice the colorful decorations which still exist.

This was the eating table for a monastery of nuns.  This monastery had six floors.  We were only allowed in the lowest level.

A staircase up to one of the churches.

According to Wikipedia, the carving of dwellings and churches in this area began around 400AD. But they were inhabited for much longer, some say beyond the 12th century AD.

Notice the dark entrance door in the center above, with the square hole above and just to the left of it. That is a house with two floors.

Here we are inside that dwelling with one intrepid individual pulling himself up to the second story using the foot holes below and a few hand holds above the small opening.

Here's another individual making her way back down.

Here's a view out an open window from the second story.

Yet another formation with several dwellings inside it.

Continue on to Post 21 Mount Nemrut, by clicking here.