Anatolia, the Land Layered with Time, Part 2 — Cappadocia & Kayseri
Anatolia, the Land Layered with Time - Part.2 — The Land Where Time Condenses: Anatolia, Türkiye – Cappadocia & Kayseri
From Ankara through Çorum and Cappadocia to Kayseri: facets of Turkish history and ancient civilizations encountered on the Anatolian plateau.
Words & Photos Ko Hyeon
In collaboration with Turkish Airlines
Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism, GoTürkiye
Kapadokya
A Land of Survival and Adventure: Cappadocia
Head a little farther south from Yozgat, and a surreal landscape unfolds, as if you had landed on an unfamiliar planet. You have finally entered Cappadocia. The strange rock formations, shaped by volcanic eruptions millions of years ago, are more than natural sculpture; they are closely tied to the stories of the rock-cut churches and underground cities where early Christians hid to escape persecution. The frescoes (a technique of painting on wet plaster; Cappadocia’s frescoes are believed to have been painted mostly with a red pigment extracted from grapes) and hideouts, carved with traces of faith and survival, suggest that Anatolia, through the Roman and Byzantine eras, served both as a refuge for believers and as a crossroads of cultures. Across this remarkable land, where nature and history are layered one upon another, travelers from every country bustle about, each pursuing a bucket-list dream.
Goreme is something like the base camp for a Cappadocia trip. From the Goreme Open Air Museum, which can be called the heart of Cappadocia, to hills ideal for watching sunrise and sunset and hotels converted from old caves, it gathers all the places that fulfill visitors’ romantic expectations. Shrewd entrepreneurs, taking their cue from the fact that the name Cappadocia is said to derive from “land of beautiful horses,” run horseback-riding tours, while younger travelers set off on ATVs or bikes among the rock formations and valleys. The most dramatic scene in Cappadocia comes in the early morning, as the sun rises. Around 100 hot air balloons fill the sky above Goreme, and everyone, whether aboard a balloon or staking out a viewpoint on the ground, comes away with an unforgettable impression.
To See
Goreme Open Air Museum
Goreme Açık Hava Müzesi
This UNESCO World Heritage site is the signature landmark of Cappadocia. Monasteries, churches, and chapels hollowed out of the rock cluster here, and Byzantine frescoes from the 10th to 12th centuries remain vividly preserved inside. Many of the Christian saints depicted in the murals were defaced during the Islamic period, but the frescoes in the Dark Church, where no light enters at all, survived by good fortune. The rock caves offer a glimpse of the lives of Christian communities who lived in seclusion during the Seljuk and Ottoman periods. Located right next to Goreme, it is an ideal starting point for a Cappadocia trip.
Kaymaklı Underground City
Kaymaklı Yeraltı Şehri
This vast underground city, dug tens of meters below the surface, was discovered by chance by a shepherd in 1964. Along a subterranean maze that runs down as many as six levels, ventilation shafts, stables, storerooms, and other remains show how Christians lived communally. Descending the dark, narrow passages, you get a real sense of the tense lives of those who hid here to escape religious persecution and war. Besides Kaymaklı, including Derinkuyu (the largest underground city in Cappadocia, able to hold about 20,000 people), some 200 underground cities are known to have existed in Cappadocia. Today, lemon and potato storehouses occupy them, carrying on the wisdom of earlier generations.
To Experience
Hot Air Balloon Tour
Hot Air Balloon Tour
A balloon tour is simply not to be missed in Cappadocia. Before dawn, as many as 100 balloons rise at once and drift over the rock formations and valleys, creating a spectacular sight. Looking down on ancient ruins and extraordinary natural terrain in a single sweep, this special experience is arguably the highlight of a Cappadocia trip. Whether flights operate depends on the weather and season, so advance booking is essential. If you stay in Cappadocia two nights or more, don’t miss watching the balloons rise from a sunrise viewpoint, too.
To Stay
Agarta Cave Hotel
Agarta Cave Hotel
A hotel that has modernized a traditional Cappadocian cave dwelling. Walls of natural rock and arched structures remain in their original form, so you can spend a night in a distinctive atmosphere. Another advantage is that in the morning you can watch the spectacle of the balloon tour from your window. The Rose Valley (Gül Vadisi), famous for its beautiful sunsets, is close by, so you can explore it on foot or by bike, and the hotel is also convenient for getting to Goreme and the main sights.
To Eat
Sacred House
Sacred House
A hotel and restaurant set in a converted monastery building in the town of Urgup. Stone arches and medieval-style garden décor create a timeless atmosphere. It serves refined Turkish dishes that blend tradition and modernity, and it keeps a wide selection of wines from Cappadocia and other regions of Türkiye.
Goreme Women’s Cooperative
Goreme Kadın Kooperatifi
A good alternative to the tourist-packed restaurants. As the name suggests, it is a restaurant run by local women as a cooperative. It serves traditional home cooking made with local produce at reasonable prices. The restaurant’s profits are said to go toward helping local women become self-reliant. You can enjoy delicious local food while contributing to the community, which makes it a fine example of sustainable travel.
Kayseri
A City of Eternal Trade: Kayseri
East of Cappadocia, one mountain peak rises alone and commands attention. It is Mount Erciyes (Erciyes Dagi, 3,917 meters above sea level; its eruptions are said to have helped shape Cappadocia’s distinctive terrain). Drawing steadily closer to this dormant volcano, known for its ski resort, you soon arrive in Kayseri, a former hub of Silk Road trade. Traces of the Seljuk and Ottoman empires remain throughout the city, and in its heart, sturdy walls built of dark volcanic rock stand shoulder to shoulder with a bazaar where merchants busily call out to passersby.
About 20 kilometers northeast of the city center, a site awaits that confirms Kayseri’s identity as a trading center with thousands of years of history. Known as Kaniş (the old name of Kültepe, also called Nesha), it was the most prosperous ancient city on the Anatolian Peninsula, a trading colony founded by merchants from Assyria, a city-state in northern Mesopotamia. The cuneiform clay tablets excavated here are regarded as important archaeological records that offer glimpses of both ancient trade culture and everyday life.
To See
Kayseri Castle
Kayseri Kalesi
This medieval fortress in the middle of the city had its foundations laid in the Roman era and was expanded under the Byzantine, Seljuk, and Ottoman empires. Its walls, stacked from black basalt, symbolize the city’s long history and defensive character. The alleys inside the walls hold a row of craft shops run by local artisans, making them ideal for a leisurely stroll. South of the castle lies the Pastırma Market (Pastırmacılar Çarşısı), devoted to the region’s signature specialty, pastırma 14 (spiced, air-dried cured beef). The rich aroma of spices and meat fills the entire lane, and traditionally aged pastırma is a popular gift and souvenir.
Kültepe
Kültepe
Kaniş, near Kayseri, is one of Anatolia’s earliest urban civilizations and flourished as a trading base for Assyrian merchants from around 2000 BC. The 25,000 cuneiform clay tablets found here are vivid evidence of that era. Buildings and artifacts that reveal the city’s layout and daily life also remain, making the site a concise portrait of the trade that linked Mesopotamia and Anatolia. A visitor center at the entrance displays the excavation site and its finds.
To Eat
Hacı Steakhouse Restoran
Hacı Steakhouse Restoran
This is the place to experience the meat-eating culture that has symbolized Kayseri since the Silk Road era. Quality lamb and beef are served in a variety of ways, and the spices and cooking methods unique to the Kayseri region give the steaks a distinctive flavor. Don’t forget to add mantı (dumplings made from boiled dough, topped with yogurt and assorted spices; a signature dish of Kayseri), which originated in Kayseri.
Interview
With Fikri Kulakoğlu, Archaeologist
When did you begin your path in archaeology?
I have been conducting research and excavations for 32 years while working as a professor in the Department of Archaeology at Ankara University.
What sets the Kültepe site apart from other archaeological sites in Türkiye?
Kültepe shows that writing was used on Anatolian soil about 4,000 years ago. The records were mainly left through trade with Mesopotamia, and they are especially remarkable because they document trade between individuals. If what the Hittites left are records between states, the clay tablets of Kültepe hold more intimate and candid accounts.
I heard that Korea is also taking part in the Kültepe excavations.
We signed an MOU with the Korea Heritage Service, and full-scale excavation began in 2025. Korea University also sends a field-study team every year. Besides Korea, researchers from many other countries, including Japan, the United States, and Italy, take part in the Kültepe excavations.