Ihlara Valley

Ihlara Valley is counted among the world's great canyons: about 14 kilometres long and up to 120 metres deep, it runs from the village of Ihlara past Belisırma and Yaprakhisar to Selime. It formed when the volcanic layers laid down by the eruptions of Mount Hasan were worn away by natural forces and the Melendiz stream. Because the water seems to turn as it winds along the canyon, the ancient inhabitants were called the people of the turning water, Peristremma.

From the 4th century, early Christian monks and clergy settled in this sheltered valley, and it became a religious centre from the earliest years of Christianity. Names linked with the region include Basil of Caesarea, who set out monastic rules different from those of Egypt and Syria, and Gregory of Nazianzus, who helped shape the doctrine of the Trinity.

The valley and its surroundings hold around 105 rock-cut churches, of which 14 are open to visitors, including Ağaçaltı, Sümbüllü, Yılanlı, Kokar and Direkli. Those closest to Ihlara show Eastern influence, while the churches near Belisırma have wall paintings of a more Byzantine type. The walk starts down a stair of 382 steps to the valley floor, and the trail follows the stream through green banks.