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The Soğanlı Valleys of
southern Cappadocia are
great if you want to do some Cappadocian
cave-church exploring off the beaten
path.
Yes, the Göreme
Valley has the best-preserved painted
churches, but it's also always busy
with large groups. The Zelve
Valley has wonderful
weird volcanic topography, but it's
also crowded most of the time.
The Upper and Lower Soğanlı
valleys of
southern Cappadocia, about 36 km
(22 miles) south of Mustafapaşa,
are much
less visited.
In the Soğanlı (soh-AHN-luh) valleys you
may have the hiking trails, churches and
weird dovecotes to
yourself. You can have fun exploring
on your own
throughout several valleys, and really
get off the beaten path.
Not only that, but there is a real
traditional Turkish village at Soğanlı,
with people living (mostly) as they
have for centuries.
Tourism has intrueded
to the point where there are several
serviceable restaurants,
and local women hand-make "Soğanlı
dolls" for
the tourist trade, but Soğanlı is
still a real Turkish place.
The Tokalı Kilise (Buckle
Church) is up a steep, slippery, much-eroded
satiwarway cut into the rock, on the
right as you approach the village,
before you reach the admission ticket
booth. Clamber up at your own risk.
The churches are badly ruined, but
the climb is memorable.
The Gök Kilise (Sky-Blue
Church) is to the left on the other
side of the stream, indicated by a
sign.
After paying your small admission
fee, you come to the village
plaza with its parking places, restaurants,
a few small shops,
and hiking trails to the northern/
upper (yukarı)/ (right-hand)
valley, which has most of the churches;
and the southern/
lower (aşağı)/
straight-ahead valley, which has many
dovecotes.
In the northern valley, see the Karabaş
Kilisesi (Black Head Church),
next to the monks' refectory,
and
the Yılanlı Kilise (Church
with a Serpent) at the head of the
valley.
Cross the valley near the
Yilanli Kilise to reach the Kubbeli
Kilise (Church with a
Dome) and Saklı Kilise (Hidden
Church). You'll have recognized
the cylindrical dome of the Kubbeli
as you walked up the other side
of the valley. The Hidden Church
is indeed hidden: not in evidence
until you approach it.
In the other valley, look for the Geyikli
Kilise (Church with Deer),
with another refectory (the Byzantine
monks here lived alone, but shared
meals together). The Tahtalı
Kilise (Church with Doves),
also called the Church of St Barbara,
has some of the best-preserved decoration.
The dovecotes you
see in and around Soğanlı were
built by the monks to accommodate the
pigeons valued for their guano (poop).
Caves were hollowed behind rock faces,
then
small holes carved through the wall
to admit the doves. The borders of
the holes are painted white to attract
the birds, but the facing around
each hole is smooth so there is no
place
to alight.
The birds enter the holes
to find a lattice of sticks on
which to perch. They sleep there, and
defecate,
and the monks collected their guano
for use in fertilizing their grapevines,
which produced sweet grapes for making
wine.
Plan to spend at least 90
minutes (bare
minimum) at Soganli, preferably three
hours or half a day.
The walking is enjoyable. This
is not a place to run through and check
off churches from a list, but rather
a place to enjoy hiking and
exploring on your own.
Bring
water and snacks. Drinks and food are available in the restaurants
as well.
Mustafapaşa
Towns
of Cappadocia
Underground
Cities
Ihlara
Valley
Cappadocia Hotels
Cappadocia Restaurants
Cappadocia
Region
Central
Anatolia
Where
to Go
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