Day 24 - Konya to Cappadocia

29^th April 2023 

This morning, before we left Konya we visited Karatay Madrasa and the Mevlana Mausoleum. The Karatay Madrasa is a beautifully preserved school, which was built in 1251, and is now a museum. The tile work was stunning and it was interesting to see how the scriptures based on the Koran that the students were taught, are very closely aligned to Christian teachings. The Mevlana mausoleum was a former lodge of the whirling dervishes and is both a mosque and a mausoleum. Again, the tiles were exquisite, but it did feel a bit intrusive visiting and taking photos while people were praying.

 

Some of the amazing tiles and mosaics found in Karatay Madrasa and the Mevlana Mausoleum.

After a couple of hours driving, we arrived at the Kaymakli Underground City. This place was incredible. The city was built five thousand years ago and survived multiple wars and earthquakes. Apparently there are about 120 similar underground cities in the area. It was a rabbit warren of corridors, rooms, stairs, and tunnels, with lots of twists and turns. We were able to go down about four levels underground. There are air shafts so we were able to breath easily, and it was a lovely temperature in there even though it was cold outside. I have never been in a place like this and found it so interesting.

 

Top left is Rog squeezing through a tunnel, top right shows a large stone that was used as a door. Bottom left shows one of the underground rooms. Bottom right is a very skinny tunnel (we didn't go down this one).

We then headed to Cappadocia with its beautiful natural volcanic landscape and the amazing cave homes. The cave homes have been lived in for centuries until the government were worried about the outside world thinking poorly of Turkey (“people in Turkey still live as the caveman did”), and so people were removed from the caves. Today there are still some families who live in the cave homes, but many are abandoned. A number have been converted into cave hotels. The landscape is fantastic, and it is easy to see why one of the most well-known attractions in Turkey is flying over this landscape in a hot air balloon (not that we are going to do that having flown in Pamukkale).

 

Tonight we were able to see the Whirling Dervishes ceremony in the amazing setting of a caravanserai, which was a walled overnight staging post for the silk road caravans. The dervishes whirl with their arms open, their right hand directed to the sky and their left hand turned towards the earth. They turn from right to left, pivoting around their heart. They can spin for a long period of time without stopping or getting dizzy. Quite amazing to watch.

Tomorrow we will continue to explore this area. Can’t wait!