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The Ihlara Valley (Ihlara Vadisi) is a canyon in the southwest part of Cappadocia in Turkey. It contains a wealth of rock-cut churches.

Ihlara Valley in Cappadocia, Turkey
Ihlara Valley

 

Features

The Ihlara Valley is 15 kilometers long and up to 150 meters deep. It was formed by the Melendiz River. The valley was settled in the 7th century by Byzantine monks who dug their houses and churches out of tuff stone deposited by volcanic eruptions from Mount Hasan (Hasan Dağı). There are about 50 rock-cut churches in the valley along with several dwellings.

Looking down to the Ihlara Valley
Looking down to the Ihlara Valley

 

Visiting

The Ihlara Valley is open daily and admission for foreigners is €15 (as of August 2024). It’s a very easy hike and there are tea gardens within the canyon if you need a snack along the way. My visit was part of a fully guided tour of Cappadocia. We only walked about 2 ¼ kilometers but spent almost three hours there. The hike started near the village of Ihlara and ended at the village of Belisırma.

Ihlara Valley in Cappadocia, Turkey
Ihlara Valley

 

Entering the Valley

I started by walking down the 400 steps from an access point north of the village of Ihlara. It was a beautiful time of year to enter the valley, with the leaves changing on some of the trees.

Walking down to the Ihlara Valley in Cappadocia, Turkey
Walking down to the Ihlara Valley

 

Ağaçaltı Church

Near the access point is the Church of Daniel Pantanassa. In Turkish it’s called the Ağaçaltı Church (Ağaçaltı Kilisesi), which translates to the Church under the Tree. It’s one of the two most spectacular rock-cut churches in the Ihlara Valley.

Entrance to the Ağaçaltı Church
Entrance to the Ağaçaltı Church

The church is on a cross-dome plan and may date back to the 7th century AD. The frescoes pre-date Byzantine Iconoclasm.

Ağaçaltı Church
Ağaçaltı Church

The cupola contains a depiction of the Ascension. Other frescoes represent scenes such as the Annunciation, the Nativity, the Adoration of the Three Magi, the Flight into Egypt, the Holy Baptism, and the Dormition of the Virgin.

Fresco of the Ascension in the Ağaçaltı Church in the Ihlara Valley in Cappadocia, Turkey
Fresco of the Ascension
Fresco of Christ Pantocrator in the Ağaçaltı Church
Christ Pantocrator
Adoration of the Three Magi in the Ağaçaltı Church in the Ihlara Valley in Cappadocia, Turkey
Adoration of the Three Magi

There are two groups of churches in the Ihlara Valley. Those nearest Ihlara are decorated in a Cappadocian style with influences from Persia and Syria. They mostly pre-date Iconoclasm. The churches nearest Belisırma are decorated in a Byzantine style and date between the 10th and 11th centuries.

Ağaçaltı Church in the Ihlara Valley in Cappadocia, Turkey
Ağaçaltı Church
Fresco of the Flight into Egypt in the Ağaçaltı Church
Flight into Egypt

 

Hiking near the River

Unfortunately, the Ağaçaltı Church was the only church open on the day of my visit. I still enjoyed the hike, which continued for a stretch along the Melendiz River.

Melendiz River
Melendiz River
Melendiz River
Melendiz River
Walking along the Melendiz River
Walking along the Melendiz River

My guide, Fatih, pointed out a few interesting rock formations as well as some lesser-known rock-cut churches along the way.

Ihlara Valley in Cappadocia, Turkey
Ihlara Valley
Rock-cut church
Rock-cut church
Rock formation shaped like a dog
Rock formation shaped like a dog

 

Diker Aile Çay Bahçesi

For a short break, we stopped at the Diker Aile Çay Bahçesi. It’s a tea garden that actually sits on a few small islands in the middle of the river. I enjoyed an apple tea and watched the ducks play in the river before moving on.

Diker Aile Çay Bahçesi
Diker Aile Çay Bahçesi
Apple tea at the Diker Aile Çay Bahçesi
Apple tea
Duck at the Diker Aile Çay Bahçesi
Duck

 

Continuing the Hike

Next, we continued along the river while Fatih pointed out more rock dwellings as well as dovecotes carved into the cliffside.

Path along the river in the Ihlara Valley in Cappadocia, Turkey
Path along the river
Homes in the cliffside
Homes in the cliffside
Rock-cut homes
Rock-cut homes
Rock-cut home with a door
Rock-cut home with a door

The dovecotes were carved by monks to collect pigeon droppings to be used as fertilizer. Pigeons were also a source of food.

Dovecotes in the Ihlara Valley in Cappadocia, Turkey
Dovecotes
Dovecotes in the Ihlara Valley in Cappadocia, Turkey
Dovecotes

 

Belisırma River Restaurant

At the end of the hike, we stopped for another tea at the Belisırma River Restaurant. It features huts sitting on the river on wooden structures.

Belisırma River Restaurant
Belisırma River Restaurant
Belisırma River Restaurant
Belisırma River Restaurant

Author

Owner of Paisadventure. World traveler. Chicago sports lover. Living in Colombia.

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