Uçhisar
FAQFrequently asked questions
What is Uchisar and why is it interesting?
This is a town in Cappadocia on the edge of Goreme National Park, and its main attraction is the 60-meter rock-citadel Uchhisar. The name means "outer fortress" in Turkish, and about a thousand people once lived inside the rock.
How to reach Uchhisar?
Uchisar lies 7 km east of Nevsehir, 12 km west of Urgup and 10 km south of Avanos - that is, in the very heart of Cappadocia, where it is easy to get to from any local town.
What to see in the fortress itself?
The rock is dotted with tunnels and chambers carved into the tuff as far back as Byzantine times, although most of the passageways are filled in today. It is worth climbing to the top for a panorama of the whole of Cappadocia - from here you can see both the rock mushrooms and the neighboring valleys.
What else to see nearby?
Nearby there is the 6th-century rock-hewn church of St. Basil, a century-old underground tufa tunnel, and old stone houses that have now been converted into boutique hotels. And between Ukhisar and Goreme stretches Golubina dolina - about two hours on foot.
When is the best time to come?
Cappadocia is beautiful at any time of the year, but in spring and autumn it is most comfortable to walk through the valleys without the summer heat. Dawn near the fortress is a separate story, because that's when the balloons fly over the region.
