FAIRY CHIMNEYS OF CAPPADOCIA

Visiting Cappadocia’s fairy chimneys is a surreal experience. A geographical process that began millions of years ago helped form the landscape, which made Cappadocia Turkey’s one of the most interesting tourist destinations. Ancient volcanic eruptions blanketed the region in thick ash, which later turned into a soft rock called ‘tuff’. Then, wind and water erosion caused the harder elements to be left behind to create the ‘fairy chimneys’ that can be seen today. A fairy chimney can be as tall as 45 metres.

What makes Cappadocia and the fairy chimneys so beautiful is not only the way they look. Human touch only made it even more stunning. During Roman times, Christians fleeing from the Romans to Cappadocia discovered that “tuff” is easily carved and they built their houses and churches by making huge holes inside the fairy chimneys. They even went as far as building underground cities as shelters in case of a possible attack. These underground cities created a network that could be home for more than 8000 people at a time. Incredibly, they also managed to create a perfect ventilation system for the parts of the underground caves to get enough fresh air for people to survive.

Cappadocia is now a more interesting tourist destination with the ingenious idea of the locals to offer the visitors an unforgettable experience in a hot air balloon, a chance to see the landscape from above. Hundreds of hot air balloons of all the colours you can imagine fill the skies which creates a feast for the eyes. Some of the cave houses are now turned into boutique hotels where cave rooms offer comfort with cosy fireplaces and gorgeous views.