Ihlara Valley
Day Nine - Turkey / Türkiye - 2023
A morning of rock-hewn churches and hiking along the Melendiz River.
Editor’s Comment: Throughout this travelogue, I have made an effort to use the Turkish spelling of place names and locations when the terms are obvious cognates; however, whenever a term is more commonly well-known in the English language (Turkey vs. Türkiye, Basilica Cistern vs. Yerebatan Sarnıcı, etc.) I have provided the English term first, followed by the Turkish spelling afterwards.
1. Selime Cathedral #1
Selime Cathedral -alternatively referred to as Selime Castle or Selime Monastery- is the largest cave complex in Cappadocia.
Our final day in Turkey, we made our way first to the Selime Cathedral, an excellent complex of chapels, dwellings, storage rooms, and kitchens perched above the Menderes River. Likely built in the 10th century, this location’s exceptionally well-defendable position made it ideal for the residents here to avoid persecution. The artwork in the main chapel is generally well-preserved, and the views across the landscape are fantastic.
Seven more photographs from Selime Cathedral follow.
2. Selime Cathedral #2
3. Selime Cathedral #3
4. Selime Cathedral #4
5. Selime Cathedral #5
6. Selime Cathedral #6
7. Selime Cathedral #7
8. Selime Cathedral #8
9. Ilhara Valley #1
Ihlara Valley runs for 15 kilometers / 10 miles in a gorge 150 meters / 500 feet deep, and contains over 50 rock-hewn churches.
Our last stop of the trip was the nearby Ihlara Valley, an ideal location for a quiet half-day or even full-day hike away from Cappadocia’s main tourist core. The main attraction here, besides the peaceful Menderes River, are the dozens of cave churches high up on the cliffs surrounding the valley. I made one such stop at St. George Church.
Nine photos from Ihlara Valley and St. George Church follow.
10. Ilhara Valley #2
11. Ilhara Valley #3
12. Ilhara Valley #4
13. Ilhara Valley #5
14. St. George Church #1
St. George Church is a chapel built inside a burial grotto; completed in the late 13th century, it is believed to be the last of Cappadocia’s cave churches to have been completed.
15. St. George Church #2
16. St. George Church #3
17. Ilhara Valley #6
18. Ilhara Valley #7
And with that my adventure in Turkey was complete. A quick flight back to Istanbul from Kayseri was followed by a short night in Istanbul and a return flight to the United States the following morning.
Overall, my impression of Turkey was very positive and this trip left me wanting to explore more. I’d love to spend another couple of days in Istanbul, a full day in Gallipoli, more time in and around Ephesus (so many sites there I would have loved to have seen), and another couple of days in Cappadocia. I bring this up to say a longer trip to the country may be in order many years down the road, but I don’t think I will commit to one unless I have a minimum of three weeks to dedicate to it. I am very glad I was able to scratch the surface of this country over nine jam-packed days and I came away with many great memories.
