ZELVE OPEN AIR MUSEUM

Zelve Archaeological Site, consisting of three valleys, is the area with the highest concentration of fairy chimneys in the Cappadocia region. This area, one of the beauties created by nature, was an important settlement and religious center for Christians between the 9th and 13th centuries, and the first religious seminars given to priests took place in this region. The most important churches in the valley, Balıklı, Üzümlü, and Geyikli churches, date back to before the Iconoclasm period (728-842). There is also a chapel dedicated to Saint Simeon and many rock cut chambers here. In the valley, which was inhabited until 1952, monasteries, churches, settlements, as well as structures such as tunnels, mills, and glass can be seen.