Cappadocia is one of the most important regions of Turkey — remarkable both for its history and for its natural beauty. It holds many historic museums, churches, chapels, bridges, and much more besides. The castles to visit in Cappadocia are important too.
During your visit to Uçhisar, we also recommend staying at the MDC Hotel.
Uçhisar Castle
Uçhisar has its place on the list of castles to visit in Cappadocia. Overlooking every corner of Cappadocia, Uçhisar Castle commands a magnificent view. At its very top there are numerous carved jars, tombs, and cisterns. Since Roman times, rooms, houses, shelters, storerooms, cisterns, tombs, and cellars have been carved into it.
Uçhisar Castle is, in a sense, Cappadocia’s largest fairy chimney, for it consists of two pointed fairy chimneys standing side by side. The large fairy chimney is known as the “Ağa’s Castle” and the small one as the “Çavuşin Castle”.
Tığraz Castle
Located in the Nevşehir district of Cappadocia, Tığraz Castle is the second largest castle after Uçhisar. Built into a hillside, Tığraz Castle descends the slope in seven levels. It consists of storerooms and tunnels and has an intriguing architecture. In its day, this place was used as a living space. It sits at the base of the Güvercinlik (Pigeon) Valley.
It is another of the castles to visit in Cappadocia.
Ortahisar Castle
Its construction date is not known precisely, but the castle, believed to have been built in the Byzantine period, is roughly 90 meters high. At the foot of the castle there are accommodations and restaurants.
Inside it there are numerous rooms and tunnels, and we know that these rooms and tunnels were built for protection and shelter. It was the first place in Cappadocia to be opened to tourism, which is why it belongs among the castles to visit in Cappadocia.
İshak Castle
Welcoming many tourists each year, İshak Castle stands directly opposite Ortahisar Castle. According to one story, a tunnel once connected İshak Castle and Ortahisar Castle. The tunnel is said to have been built so that in wartime the people could reach their places of worship or their homes easily and in comfort — but the existence of such a tunnel has never been confirmed.
As for the castle’s name: between 1402 and 1436, as Karamanid rule was coming to an end, İshak Pasha seized the castles here, and this castle came to be known by İshak Pasha’s name. Used as a living and defensive space, this castle is a place to visit in Cappadocia.
