Cappadocia, in the heart of Turkey, is one of the most extraordinary landscapes on Earth. Shaped by volcanic eruptions some 60 million years ago and carved by wind and rain ever since, this region of fairy chimneys, underground cities and rock-cut churches has been welcoming travelers for thousands of years. Known in antiquity as the “Land of Beautiful Horses,” Cappadocia has a history as fascinating as its scenery. In this guide, we explore the history of Cappadocia from its earliest days to the present.
Where Is Cappadocia?
Cappadocia lies in Central Anatolia, spreading across the Turkish provinces of Nevşehir, Aksaray, Niğde, Kayseri and Kırşehir. The best-known towns of the region — Göreme, Ürgüp, Uçhisar, Avanos and Ortahisar — are all found in Nevşehir province, roughly 300 kilometers southeast of Ankara. Getting to Cappadocia is easy: both Nevşehir Cappadocia Airport and Kayseri Erkilet Airport are about an hour away from the main hotel areas, with direct connections through Istanbul. Once you arrive, the places to visit in Cappadocia are spread over a wide area, so plan at least two or three days for your trip.
What Does “Cappadocia” Mean?
The name Cappadocia comes from the ancient Persian word “Katpatuka,” meaning “Land of Beautiful Horses.” When the Persians ruled the region in the 6th century BC, Cappadocia was famous for breeding magnificent horses, which were sent to the Persian kings as tribute alongside gold, sheep and mules. Cappadocian horses were prized on battlefields and in royal stables across the ancient world. The name has endured for over 2,500 years — and so has the tradition: today, sunset horseback riding tours through Rose Valley and Pigeon Valley remain one of the most magical ways to experience the Land of Beautiful Horses.
How Was Cappadocia Formed?
The geological story of Cappadocia began around 60 million years ago, when three volcanoes — Mount Erciyes, Mount Hasan and Mount Göllüdağ — blanketed the region with layers of lava and ash. These deposits hardened into soft volcanic rock called tuff, hundreds of meters thick. Over millions of years, rain, meltwater and wind eroded the soft tuff, cutting deep valleys and leaving behind the surreal rock towers we see today. Where a cap of hard basalt protected the softer rock beneath it, tall mushroom-shaped columns survived: the famous fairy chimneys of Cappadocia. Humans then finished what nature started, carving homes, dovecotes, churches, monasteries and entire underground cities into the workable rock.
A Brief History of Cappadocia
Few places on Earth have hosted as many civilizations as Cappadocia. Hittites, Assyrians, Phrygians, Persians, Romans, Byzantines, Seljuks and Ottomans all left their mark on this land.
Hittites, Assyrians and Persians
Human settlement in Cappadocia stretches back to prehistoric times, but its written history begins with the Hittites, who dominated Central Anatolia in the 2nd millennium BC. Assyrian merchants established trading colonies here, producing some of Anatolia’s earliest written records. After the Hittites came the Phrygians and the Medes, followed by the Persians, who gave the region its enduring name and connected it to their empire through the famous Royal Road.
Romans, Early Christians and the Underground Cities
Cappadocia became a Roman province in 17 AD, but its most remarkable transformation came with early Christianity. Fleeing Roman persecution, Christian communities carved churches, monasteries and refuges into the soft rock. The region is mentioned in the Bible — Cappadocians were present at Pentecost in the Book of Acts — and it later became home to influential theologians known as the Cappadocian Fathers. To survive raids, entire communities retreated below ground into astonishing multi-level settlements such as the underground cities of Cappadocia, including Derinkuyu, which could shelter thousands of people along with their livestock. More than 200 underground cities and over 1,000 rock-cut churches have been documented in the region. The finest frescoed churches of the Byzantine era can be visited today at the Göreme Open Air Museum, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Seljuks and Ottomans
After the Battle of Manzikert in 1071, Anatolia opened to the Turks, and Cappadocia came under Seljuk rule. Sitting on the Silk Road, the region flourished with trade, and grand caravanserais such as Ağzıkarahan and Sarıhan were built to host merchant caravans. Under the Ottoman Empire, Cappadocia enjoyed centuries of peace in which Muslim and Christian communities lived side by side — a heritage still visible in the stone mansions of Mustafapaşa and the historic streets of Ürgüp.
Cappadocia Today
In 1985, Göreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Today, the Land of Beautiful Horses is one of Turkey’s most beloved destinations. Every morning at sunrise, hundreds of hot air balloons drift over the valleys — check our guide to Cappadocia balloon tour prices if you plan to fly. Visitors can also hike the valleys, join ATV and horseback riding tours, try pottery workshops in Avanos and taste local wines. Before you book, have a look at our advice on when to go to visit Cappadocia to pick the perfect season.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cappadocia
What is the story of Cappadocia?
Cappadocia was formed by volcanic eruptions and millions of years of erosion, then shaped by human hands across countless civilizations. Its name comes from the Persian “Katpatuka,” meaning Land of Beautiful Horses, and its history spans the Hittites, Persians, Romans, Byzantines, Seljuks and Ottomans.
Why did Christians hide in Cappadocia?
During the Roman era, early Christians fled persecution and found refuge in Cappadocia’s soft volcanic rock, which they carved into hidden churches, monasteries and vast underground cities such as Derinkuyu and Kaymaklı, where thousands of people could live concealed for months.
Who lived in the caves of Cappadocia?
The cave dwellings of Cappadocia housed people from the Hittite era through Byzantine monks and villagers well into the 20th century. Many of these historic caves have now been restored as boutique Cappadocia cave hotels.
What’s so special about Cappadocia?
Nowhere else combines a landscape of fairy chimneys, hundreds of underground cities, more than a thousand rock-cut churches and world-famous hot air balloon rides in one place. Cappadocia is both a natural wonder and an open-air museum of human history.
With thousands of years of history and a truly magical landscape, Cappadocia, the Land of Beautiful Horses, promises an experience you will never forget. And to make your stay as authentic as the region itself, we would be delighted to welcome you to the cave rooms of the MDC Cave Hotel.
