Cappadocia

8 October 2012

This is the land of fairy chimneys and underground cities.

These formations were formed when Erclyes Dagi erupted and the intervening millennia added to the remarkable Cappadocian canvas, with Byzantines carving cave churches and subterranean complexes to house thousands of people.

During the Roman and Byzantine periods, Cappadocia became a refuge for early Christians and from the 4th to the 11th century, Christianity flourished here; most churches, monasteries and underground cities date from this period. The area is an incredible place to explore. I was able to wonder freely amongst these structures and imagine life within the rock walls and under the ground.