Cappadocia is the region that emerged when the soft layers formed by lava and ashes erupted by Erciyes, Hasandağı and Güllüdağ 60 million years ago were eroded by rain and wind over millions of years.
Human settlement dates back to the Paleolithic period. The lands inhabited by the Hittites became one of the most important centers of Christianity in later periods. Houses and churches carved into the rocks made the area a huge shelter for Christians fleeing the oppression of the Roman Empire.
The geographer Strabo also mentions the borders of Cappadocia in his book “Geographika” (Geography-Anatolia XII. XIII, XIV) written during the reign of Roman Emperor Augustus. According to this description, Cappadocia stretched to the Taurus Mountains in the south, Aksaray in the west, Malatya in the east and the Black Sea in the north. Today, the region called Cappadocia is a region where its geographical formations are concentrated in an area of 250 km² and spread to the provinces of Kırşehir, Niğde, Aksaray and Kayseri, especially Nevşehir. The most visited regions are; Uçhisar, Göreme, Avanos, Ürgüp, Derinkuyu, Kaymaklı and Ihlara.
Cappadocia region is a place where nature and history are integrated. While geographical events were creating the Fairy Chimneys, people carved houses, churches and monasteries inside these fairy chimneys, and decorated them with frescoes, bringing the traces of thousands of years of civilizations to the present day. The written history of Cappadocia, where human settlements date back to the Paleolithic period, begins with the Hittites. Cappadocia, which has hosted trade colonies throughout history and established a commercial and social bridge between countries, is also one of the important crossroads of the Silk Road.
With the collapse of the Hittite Empire in the 12th century BC, a dark period begins in the region. During this period, the late Hittite Kings, who had Assyrian and Phrygian influences, dominated the region. These Kingdoms last until the Persian invasion in the 6th century BC.
Alexander the Great defeated the Persians in 332 BC, but met with great resistance in Cappadocia. In this period, the Kingdom of Cappadocia is established. Towards the end of the 3rd century BC, the power of the Romans began to be felt in the region. In the middle of the 1st century BC, the Kings of Cappadocia were appointed and dethroned by the power of the Roman generals. When the last Cappadocian king died in 17 AD, the region became a province of Rome.
Christians came to Cappadocia in the 3rd century AD and the region became a center of education and thought for them. Between the years 303-308, the pressure applied to the Christians increased. But Cappadocia is an ideal place to be protected from oppression and to spread Christian teaching. Deep valleys and bunkers carved from soft volcanic rocks create a safe haven against Roman soldiers.
The 4th century becomes the period of the people who were later called the “Fathers of Cappadocia”. But the importance of the region, III. It climaxes when Leon bans icons. In the face of this situation, some pro-icon people begin to take shelter in the region. Iconoclasm movement lasts more than a hundred years (726-843). Although a few Cappadocian churches were under the influence of Iconoclasm during this period, those who were in favor of the icon continued to worship comfortably here. Cappadocia monasteries flourished in this period.
Again, during this period, Arab raids began in the Christian regions of Anatolia from Armenia to Cappadocia. The people who came to the region by fleeing from these raids caused the styles of the churches in the region to change. In the 11th and 12th centuries, Cappadocia fell into the hands of the Seljuks. During this and the following Ottoman times, the region had a trouble-free period. The last Christians in the region left Cappadocia with the population exchange in 1924-26, leaving beautiful architectural examples behind.
Cappadocia region is a place where nature and history are integrated. While geographical events were creating the Fairy Chimneys, people carved houses, churches and monasteries inside these fairy chimneys, and decorated them with frescoes, bringing the traces of thousands of years of civilizations to the present day. The written history of Cappadocia, where human settlements date back to the Paleolithic period, begins with the Hittites. Cappadocia, which has hosted trade colonies throughout history and established a commercial and social bridge between countries, is also one of the important crossroads of the Silk Road.
With the collapse of the Hittite Empire in the 12th century BC, a dark period begins in the region. During this period, the late Hittite Kings, who had Assyrian and Phrygian influences, dominated the region. These Kingdoms last until the Persian invasion in the 6th century BC.
Alexander the Great defeated the Persians in 332 BC, but met with great resistance in Cappadocia. In this period, the Kingdom of Cappadocia is established. Towards the end of the 3rd century BC, the power of the Romans began to be felt in the region. In the middle of the 1st century BC, the Kings of Cappadocia were appointed and dethroned by the power of the Roman generals. When the last Cappadocian king died in 17 AD, the region became a province of Rome.
Christians came to Cappadocia in the 3rd century AD and the region became a center of education and thought for them. Between the years 303-308, the pressure applied to the Christians increased. But Cappadocia is an ideal place to be protected from oppression and to spread Christian teaching. Deep valleys and bunkers carved from soft volcanic rocks create a safe haven against Roman soldiers.
The 4th century becomes the period of the people who were later called the “Fathers of Cappadocia”. But the importance of the region, III. It climaxes when Leon bans icons. In the face of this situation, some pro-icon people begin to take shelter in the region. Iconoclasm movement lasts more than a hundred years (726-843). Although a few Cappadocian churches were under the influence of Iconoclasm during this period, those who were in favor of the icon continued to worship comfortably here. Cappadocia monasteries flourished in this period.
Again, during this period, Arab raids began in the Christian regions of Anatolia from Armenia to Cappadocia. The people who came to the region by fleeing from these raids caused the styles of the churches in the region to change. In the 11th and 12th centuries, Cappadocia fell into the hands of the Seljuks. During this and the following Ottoman times, the region had a trouble-free period. The last Christians in the region left Cappadocia with the population exchange in 1924-26, leaving beautiful architectural examples behind.
