Hitit Cappadocia

A look at Turkey 's bizarre moonscapes

In Cappadocia , they tell you that Star Wars was filmed there. It's not true, but this surreal and eerie dreamscape could easily have been the backdrop to Lucas' epic. Bang in the centre of the country, Cappadocia is worth the effort. Nature, in the form of volcanic eruptions and deposits, has fashioned the soft rock ( turfa ) into bizarre conical rock towers or 'fairy chimneys'.

Since the fifth century BC, the soft rock has been exploited by humans. Christians dug forty underground cities to escape Roman persecution. Two of these are open to tourists: Derinkuyu, which descends eight floors and is not for the claustrophobic, and Kaymakli, a more modest five levels. Most people come to Cappadocia for the open-air museums, notably Goreme and Zelve. These are large parks of turfa chimneys which house dwellings and churches containing well-preserved frescos.

Slightly off the main tourist drag is the Ihlara valley, a verdant gorge in an arid landscape and one of the most beautiful places in Turkey . Visit Hitit for a taste of Cappadocia and don't be put off by the awkward geographical location; it's nearer to the Aegean and Mediterranean resorts than you might think. and certainly worth the effort.

www.hitit.co.uk

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