Uçhisar

Panorama
Uçhisar is a village in Cappadocia in the province of Nevşehir in Turkey. The village is located 7 kilometers east of Nevşehir, 12 kilometers west of Ürgüp and 10 kilometers from Avanos in the south.
Uçhisar was first mentioned in a 14th century chronicle by Aziz Ibn Ardasir. The Hittites are said to have used the natural features of the rocks as a location and retreat against possible attacks. A few years later, groups of Persians and Macedonians migrated to the area. In the 15th century, the Byzantines built a so-called “filter zone” to prevent Islamic incursions. The special nature of the ground made defense easier, while the camouflage of the buildings provided additional protection against attackers. After the conquest of the area, the Muslims also took advantage of the defensive possibilities by creating small centers with caravanserais in the zone
Uçhisar is dominated by a 60-metre-high castle rock, which can be seen from a great distance. This rock is criss-crossed by numerous underground passages and rooms, most of which are now filled in or impassable. They were used as living quarters, and in Byzantine times also as a monastery. Originally, around 1000 people lived in the castle rock, but today the rock is uninhabited. The fairy chimneys made of tuff, which characterize the surrounding landscape, are also special.
A large part of Uçhisar's population still lives from agriculture today, but tourism is playing an increasingly important role. French people and Turks returning from France in particular have begun to turn the picturesque rock cottages into tourist accommodation.
Quote: Wikipedia