The Göreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia World Heritage site encompasses more than 200 rock-cut churches, some of which contain numerous frescoes. This combination of rock architecture and wall paintings gives Turkey a distinctive cultural character.
Rock Architecture and Craftsmanship in Cappadocia
The World Heritage site also includes two underground cities and five rock-cut villages. Churches, underground cities and villages reveal different forms of building in rock. The entire area between NevĹźehir, ĂśrgĂĽp and Avanos is designated as a national park.
Cappadocia’s image is also defined by a sky filled with hot-air balloons rising slowly. Handcrafted silk and wool carpets are another expression of the region’s textile craftsmanship. The clay in Cappadocia is also prized by the surrounding ceramic workshops. Alongside rock and frescoes, you’ll encounter motifs associated with carpets and ceramics.
Prehistory and Stories of Antiquity
The monumental structures of Göbekli Tepe were built by groups of hunter-gatherers during the Pre-Pottery Neolithic of the 10th to 9th millennia BC. The excavation area is surrounded by a covered walkway for visitors. It’s advisable to check the latest visitor information before your visit.
Troy has a history spanning 4,000 years. The ancient site lies on Hisarlık Hill, overlooking the plain on Turkey’s Aegean coast. The siege by Spartan and Achaean warriors from Greece, immortalized by Homer in the Iliad, has inspired significant artists around the world ever since.
In Ephesus, the Library of Celsus is one of the significant monuments from the Roman Imperial period along the ancient processional road. Pilgrimages to Ephesus also continue to this day. Together with the monuments of Göbekli Tepe and Troy’s long history, these sites offer different historical perspectives: early structures, a history spanning millennia and a testament to the Roman Imperial period.
Pamukkale: Natural and Cultural Heritage
The Hierapolis-Pamukkale UNESCO World Heritage site encompasses both natural and cultural heritage: the travertines are part of the natural heritage, and the ancient city of Hierapolis is also included in the site, which is designated as both natural and cultural heritage.
Other attractions in the Pamukkale region include the thermal springs of Karahayıt and the Bağbaşı Plateau. The Hierapolis Archaeology Museum is part of a Pamukkale route. This brings different themes together: travertines and the history of an ancient city, other regional attractions, and a museum along a route.
Olive Groves, Presses and Tastings
The Olive Route in Turkey offers a different kind of discovery. It includes visits to olive groves and olive oil presses. You can also learn about traditional methods of crushing olives and extracting olive oil, and taste local olives. Here, the focus is on visits, production and flavor, while Cappadocia’s rock-cut churches and ancient sites appeal to other cultural interests.
You can choose your themes according to the discoveries that interest you most: rock architecture and frescoes; the historical traces of Göbekli Tepe, Troy and Ephesus; the interplay of natural and cultural heritage in Pamukkale; or the stops along the Olive Route.
Discover more destinations: Turkish Aegean, Anatolia, Marmara, Turkish Riviera, Turkey’s Black Sea Coast, Guadeloupe, Spain, Finland.
