Every year tourists from around the world flock to Love Valley in Göreme National Park in the Cappadocia region of central Turkey to marvel at the region’s peculiarly pointy geological features. These cone-shaped formations, known as ‘fairy chimneys’ or hoodoos, dominate the park’s skyline, with some rocky spires extending up to 40 metres towards the sky.
While the name ‘fairy chimney’ suggests mythical origins, these rocks began to take shape millions of years ago, when many active volcanoes dominated the region. “The deposits of [volcanic] ash, lava and basalt laid the foundations for today’s landscape,’ commented Alessandro Demarchi in the photo’s description, who captured the stunning photograph featured today. The volcanic material consolidated into a soft rock known as ‘tuff.’ Then over the years, natural weathering forces like wind and water eroded weaker parts of the rock away, leaving behind the pinnacles we see now.
Around the 4th century, during the reign of the Roman empire, many Christian pilgrims traveled to Cappodocia to flee persecution. They built their new life into the region’s rocks, carving out a network of homes and churches from the towers of tuff. If you look closely at background of the image, you can even spot remnants of their handiwork.
The region was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985, and today you can enjoy the extraordinary geological formations, as well as their cultural history, either from the ground or up in the air through hot air balloon tours.
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