Today we toured around the countryside to visit all of the rock formations formed in the Tufa. Inhabitants have used these unique formations for either worship or security for over 2000 years taking advantage of the unique nature of the rock.
The rock formations, known as "fairy chimneys", have been formed as the result of the erosion of this tufa layer, sculpted by wind and flood water, running down on the slopes of the valleys. Water has found its way through the valleys creating cracks and ruptures in the hard rock.
The softer, easily erodable material underneath has been gradually swept away receding the slopes and in this way, conical formations protected with basalt caps have been created.
Various types of fairy chimneys are found in Cappadocia. Among these are those with caps, cones, mushroom like forms, columns and pointed rocks.
Some of the fairy chimneys have been inhabited for many years, with rooms, windows and staircases being laboriously curved inside creating up to 5-story structures inside. Today some of these are also providing services to tourism as hotels and restaurants.
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