IHLARA VALLEY

The Wonder of Nature in Cappadocia: Ihlara Valley, the World’s Second Biggest Canyon

With its canyon valley, flora, churches and chapels, Ihlara Valley, the meeting point of nature, history and culture, is a wonder of nature in Cappadocia as the second biggest canyon in the world.
While in historical documents Ihlara Valley is referred to as "Peristremma," Melendiz Creek flowing in the valley was known as Potamus, Kapadukus–Cappadocia River.
Ihlara Valley was formed as a result of the thousands of years of erosion affected by Melendiz Creek which flowed on the collapsed zone following the tectonic elevations and the eruption of Mt. Hasan volcano.
By cutting into the land deeply along Ihlara Valley, Melendiz Creek created grand and striking landscapes in the valley. Small creeks discharged from Melendiz Mountains are combined in the direction of southeast-northwest and eventually flow into Mamasın Dam.
Along the valley, Melendiz Creek forms about 30 wide bends. Even though the distance between Ilısu and Selime is 10 kilometers, real distance reaches up to 18 kilometers due to the bends in the flow.
Another feature of Ihlara Valley is its natural beauty. There is a thick green belt, formed by the vineyards and groves, by the water flow in the bottom of the deep and narrow valley. It is as if nature hides itself in the valley. Around the valley, steppe-like weak plants are dominant. However, at the slopes of the valley, a rich and green piece of nature can be seen hiding. This secrecy has also defined the special place of the valley. Different from the continental climate dominant in the region, the valley floor has a climate very similar to the Mediterranean. As such, the valley floor constitutes a microclimate. Accordingly, various plants, including pistachio nuts, grow in the valley.
Those who lived in the area during Byzantine period built numerous monasteries, churches and cave-houses by carving into the soft tufa on the steep walls of Ihlara Valley. For early Christians who were anxious to build their churches in remote areas, nowhere could have been more ideal …
Aksaray became an important center in the first years of Christianity. Sect founders like Basilus of Kayseri and Gregorius of Nazianos lived here in the 4th century and set the rules of a monastic life that was different from the systems in Egypt and Syria. The Greek and Slavic system thus came into being. While priests in Egypt and Syria lived in complete seclusion, the followers of Basilus and Gregorius did not do so and the home of this new attitude was Belisırma.