The symposium will be held in Nevsehir province, situated in the Cappadocia region in Turkey. Cappadocia region is an extraordinary area, combining unique and beautiful natural features with a fascinating cultural and historical past. The region covers several provinces including Nevsehir, Aksaray, Nigde, Kayseri and Kırsehir in the Central Anatolian region.

The symposium will be organized at the Lykia Lodge Kapadokya Hotel, which has an original architecture in perfect harmony with the natural look of the region. The hotel is centrally located, only 5 km to Nevşehir city center and Göreme.

The name Cappadocia is derived from the word "Katpatuka" , which means "The Land of Beautiful Horses" in ancient Persian.

Cappadocia became famous for its unique landscape of valleys and unusual rock formations, known as "fairy chimneys". The geographic events (volcanic eruptions and erosions) had formed Cappadocian miraculous natural wonder. The development of these amazing landscape date backs to Miocene era (10-15 million years). Several types of volcanic products (ignimbrite, ash, block and ash flows etc..) coming out of calderas and volcanoes formed several layers of tuffs (often up to 100s of meters thick) with amazing colors and textures. These rocks later eroded to plateaus and valleys that contain different types of rock formations called as “fairy chimneys” depending on the rock type and erosion style. Various types of fairy chimneys such as caps, cones, mushroom like forms, columns and pointed rocks are found in the region. Another characteristic feature of the area is the sweeping curves on the sides of the valleys, formed by rainwater.

In this unique territory, which has been the settlement point for many civilizations such as Hittites, Cimmerians, Phrygians, Romans, Byzantines, Seljuk Turks and Ottomans there are many 'under-cities' carved into the rocks as well as 365 rock churches established at a height of 1100 meters. They also adorned these settlements with frescos, carrying the traces of the thousands of years of their civilizations.

There are around 150-200 of these under-cities in the region and in many different sizes which make them some of the most interesting examples of cultural wealth. Most were built by humans manually carving down deep into the soft tufa. As the region had been the target of various attacks in the past, these cities were built for security purposes for people to take refuge in living during times of danger. Underground cities are amazingly also connected to nearly every house in the area by hidden passages.

In addition to its natural and historical importance, Cappadocia region is also considered as capital of potato production in Turkey. Around 40% of total potato production in Turkey comes from Cappadocia region. The special nature of rocks also offers an excellent facilities to built natural carving storages for potatoes.

For more information about Cappadocia region:

www.kultur.gov.tr

www.cappadociaturkey.net