Cappadocia Cave Houses

Many cultures in the past used caves for homes. In Cappadocia, Turkey, people were living in caves for thousands of years. Long ago, volcanic ash covered the ground. Over time, the wind and rain wore it away, and the rock left behind looked like towers. Soon, people came and carved cave homes in the soft volcanic rock. Many different civilisations lived there, including the Hittites, Greeks, Persians and the Ottoman Turks. The houses were large enough for families to live in. Each house usually had two or three rooms. Circular and square windows were added. Many houses also have shelves carved into the walls. Neighbours lived above or next to each other. Modern Turkish people still live in some of the cave houses. In the nearby town of Nevşehir, cities were created entirely underground. Kaymaklı and Derinkuyu are two examples. The cities include houses, storage areas, a stable and even a church. They are eight stories deep. Nowadays, tourists from all over the world come to visit Cappadocia to see the interesting cave homes. People can even stay in cave hotels.