Nation: Turkey

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Ihlara Valley Archaeological Site

Ihlara Valley, which is located within the boundaries of Güzelyurt district in Aksaray province, has a significant position among the canyons in the world. Unlike all other canyons, Ihlara Valley with a length of 14 kilometres, the depth reaching from place to place to 120 meters and a thousand of habitats has the characteristic of being the biggest canyon in the world where people had lived in history. Ihlara Valley has become one of the most significant culture and civilization centres of the world in the past with hundreds of churches, shelters made by easy excavation of the rocks surrounding the valley and the formation of fairy chimneys. You encounter a unique beauty, fairy chimneys and Selime (goodness) Cathedral, when you exit the valley.

The mummies of cats

Embalmment was made in the Cappadocia region in the past just like it had been the case in ancient Egypt. A total of 17 mummies have been discovered so far in the Ihlara Valley. While 12 of them are exhibited in Aksaray Museum, the remaining 5 of them are exhibited in Niğde Museum. The mummies generally date back to the 10th and 13th centuries. The embalmment of the cats was practiced in the name of “Bast”, the Goddess with cat head. This ongoing tradition reached to Anatolia and the tradition of embalming the cats was maintained in the Cappadocia region.

Ağaçaltı Church (Daniel Pantanassa)

The central location of the structure with free cross plan is covered by a high hooped dome placed on squinches, the arms of the cross are covered by cradle squinches. The frescoes are dated back to the period before Iconoclasm or the period between 9th and 11th centuries. The figures indicate scenes such as Annunciation, Nativity, Adoration of the three Maggies, Flight into Egypt, Holy Baptism, Koimesis (death of Mary), and Ascension.

Kırkdamaltı Church (H. Georgios)

It is located in Belisırma Village in Ihlara Valley. The church with irregular hexagonal plan has a flat roof, which is engraved in concave form in the apse direction to the east. The collapsed apse is used as the entrance. Original entrance door is located at northern wall. The church has been decorated by Lady Tamar, wife of Amirarzes Basileios in the period from 1283 to 1295 during which Sultan Mesut II and Emperor Andronikos II were reigning. The figures indicate the scene of Deesis, Metamorphosis, Ascension and the image of Seljuk Sultan Mesut II.