Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¼´Ê±¿ª½±

³§´ÇÄŸ²¹²Ô±ôı

Top choice in Cappadocia

LoginSave

Let's get one thing straight: despite its science-fiction setting, no scene in Star Wars was ever filmed near ³§´ÇÄŸ²¹²Ô±ôı. But don't despair Chewbacca fans; there's still ample reason to travel to this tiny village 36km south of MustafapaÅŸa. That reason is a reverential series of rock-cut churches hidden amid ³§´ÇÄŸ²¹²Ô±ôı's two dramatic, secluded valleys: the ´¡ÅŸ²¹ÄŸÄ± (Lower) ³§´ÇÄŸ²¹²Ô±ôı and ³Û³Ü°ì²¹°ùı (Upper) ³§´ÇÄŸ²¹²Ô±ôı. An afternoon exploring at the foot of these sheer faces may inspire you to write your own script.

To reach ³§´ÇÄŸ²¹²Ô±ôı, turn off the main road from MustafapaÅŸa to YeÅŸilhisar and proceed 4km to the village. The ticket office for the site is next to Hidden Apple Garden restaurant. At stalls in the site car park, local women sell the dolls for which ³§´ÇÄŸ²¹²Ô±ôı is supposedly famous.

Last tickets are 4.30pm October to mid-April.

Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¼´Ê±¿ª½±'s must-see attractions

  • Güllüdere (Rose) Valley

    Güllüdere (Rose) Valley

    22.49 MILES

    The trails that loop around Güllüdere Vadısı (Rose Valley) are easily accessible to all levels of walkers and provide some of the finest fairy-chimney…

  • Dark Church

    Dark Church

    21.41 MILES

    The highlight of Göreme Open-Air Museum is the stunning and fully restored Dark Church, famed for the vivid colours and excellent preservation of its…

  • Göreme Open-Air Museum

    Göreme Open-Air Museum

    21.5 MILES

    This Unesco World Heritage site is an essential stop on any Cappadocian itinerary. First thought to be a Byzantine monastic settlement that housed some 20…

  • Cave dwelling for the ancient christians in Capadocia

    Zelve Open-Air Museum

    23.14 MILES

    The road between Çavuşin and Avanos passes a turn-off to the Zelve Open-Air Museum, where three valleys of crumbling cave-habitations and churches…

  • The Kaymakl underground city, Kaymakl, Cappadocia, Turkey, Middle East

    Kaymaklı Underground City

    14.35 MILES

    Kaymaklı underground city features a maze of tunnels and rooms carved eight levels deep into the earth, though only four are open to the public. The…

  • Eski Gümüşler Monastery

    Eski Gümüşler Monastery

    26.34 MILES

    Some of Cappadocia's best-preserved and most captivating frescoes are hidden within this rarely visited rock-hewn monastery that was only rediscovered in…

  • Kızılçukur Viewpoint

    Kızılçukur Viewpoint

    22.08 MILES

    One of the best views of Kızılçukur (Red) Valley's fang-like rock cones and wavy cliff ridges is from this lookout point, signposted off the highway,…

  • Buckle Church

    Buckle Church

    21.55 MILES

    The Buckle Church is 50m back down the hill towards Göreme and across the road from the main Open-Air Museum complex, but is covered by the same entrance…

View more attractions

Nearby Cappadocia attractions

1. Saklı Kilise

0.3 MILES

Nestling in the ³Û³Ü°ì²¹°ùı Valley hillside, very near the Kubbeli Kilise, is the Saklı Kilise (Hidden Church), which, as its name suggests, is indeed…

2. KarabaÅŸ Kilisesi

0.3 MILES

In ³§´ÇÄŸ²¹²Ô±ôı's ³Û³Ü°ì²¹°ùı Valley the first church on your right is the KarabaÅŸ Kilisesi, which is covered in paintings showing the life of Christ, with Gabriel…

3. Kubbeli Kilise

0.31 MILES

Turn left at the Yılanlı Kilise, cross the ³Û³Ü°ì²¹°ùı Valley floor and climb the far hillside to find the Kubbeli Kilise. The Kubbeli is unusual because of…

4. Geyikli Kilise

0.34 MILES

In the ´¡ÅŸ²¹ÄŸÄ± Valley, the Geyikli Kilise has a monks' refectory and a still-visible fresco on the wall of St Eustace with a deer (from which the church's…

5. Tahtalı Kilise

0.46 MILES

The Tahtalı Kilise sits at the furthest end of the ´¡ÅŸ²¹ÄŸÄ± Valley. It has well-preserved Byzantine and Seljuk decorative patterns.

6. Yılanlı Kilise

0.53 MILES

The Yılanlı Kilise sits in the furthest corner of the ³Û³Ü°ì²¹°ùı Valley, its frescoes deliberately painted over with black paint, probably to protect them…

7. Gök Kilise

0.55 MILES

The Gök Kilise is just to the left of the Tokalı Kilise. It has twin naves separated by columns and ending in apses. The double frieze of saints is badly…

8. Tokalı Kilise

0.57 MILES

On the main road into ³§´ÇÄŸ²¹²Ô±ôı, about 800m before the ticket office, signs point to the Tokalı Kilise on the right, reached by a steep flight of worn steps.