A trio of stunning global wonders reigns in the heartland of Turkey: towering ``fairy chimneys,'' a network of complex underground cities and exquisite rock chapels and churches adorned with luminous frescoes.

By Lucy Barajikian, 11/98

Where were we anyway? The map said Turkey. I wasn't so sure. The terrain was not quite Bryce Canyon, Utah, not quite lunar, not quite Disney. It was more like a wizard had computer-generated this extraordinary landscape. Or was this some press agent's incredible embellishment?

As tourists on a three-week tour of Turkey, we had visited Istanbul with its vestiges of Ottoman treasures and grandeur, seen Roman ingenuity in the aqueducts and cisterns, viewed the burial vaults of the Whirling Dervishes in Konya, mourned the fallen at Gallipoli with its 31 military cemeteries, and marveled at the white marble road grooved by chariot wheels at the excavated ruins of ancient Ephesus.

But this, this was another world. In Cappadocia, the ancient province in the heartland of Turkey, just three hours southeast of Ankara, we were faced with a geological wonder that was so weird and wonderful that in 1978 UNESCO placed the Goreme Open-Air Museum National Park on its World Heritage List as one of the global wonders of this modern world.

We spent two days in the area using Urgup as our base, visiting a cluster of valleys, canyons, gorges and hills in terrain painted in warm pinks, golds, ivory and honey that sometimes turned to cool greens, grays and slate. We took walking tours of Goreme, Uchisar Valley, Aveilar Canyon, Zelve and the Pink (or Rose) Valley. We explored Soganli Valley and Dasabagi Canyon.

Through it all, we marveled equally at the creative forces both of man and of nature. Together they have fashioned a Turkish wonderland. More to the point, it is a trio of wonders. Natural forces in the area have created unique rock cones and capped pinnacles and needles that the Turkish people call ``fairy chimneys'' or (ITAL) peribaca (uqTAL). Then, from the soft stone, man carved out a network of complex underground cities. He enhanced it further with stunning rock chapels, churches and monasteries, decorated with frescoes still blazing with color after all these centuries. Sights like these, of course, are what keep travelers traveling.

The first most immediately visible marvels, however, are the peculiarly mesmerizing rock pillars, hundreds of them sculpted by the powerful elements and forces of nature. Perched on top of hundred-foot pinnacles near Zelve were what to us looked like petrified African thatched huts. These are one form that the ``fairy chimneys'' have taken (legend has it that the chimneys were inhabited by fairies who had the power to cast all manner of spells). Each ``hut'' is set atop a towering stone column that is perfectly balanced on a gigantic block of stone, making what looks like a chimney pot. Some areas are so thick with these columns that they look like a succession of petrified mushroom plantations. Those of us caught up in the air of enchantment of the moment would not have been surprised to see Snow White ambling along over the ridge trailed by the seven little dwarfs. It's that kind of fairy-tale landscape.

The caps in other areas are hamburger-shaped slabs teetering on top of tall pinnacles. Others are more delicate and resemble exclamation points or stylized Olympic torches. Some pinnacles are decidedly phallic in character, a shape that artisans in the area have capitalized on to fashion some bizarre lamp bases and other art forms that are on sale in the local souvenir shops.

During our stay in the area, Kadri, our Turkish guide, explained how these fairy chimneys were created. He used words like ``tufa,'' ``telluric motions,'' ``ash, lapilli and lava.'' We preferred words like ``stupefying'' and ``staggering'' and stood slack-jawed, disbelieving, as we gazed at the panorama stretched out before us.

Kadri pointed out some of the shapes that the rocks have taken. A bear. Well, maybe. The Three Sisters bore little physical resemblance to three siblings, but the cluster of three fairy chimneys perched close together atop one pinnacle was magnificent and dramatically symbolized the close relationship of such a union. Camel Rock in Camel Valley definitely resembled those that we spotted along the road -- the local ``taxis'' that operated on water and four legs. (By way of useful information, Kadri had earlier informed those of us who wanted to convert travelers' checks into Turkish lira that ``There's a bank at the camel stop.'' That phrase still lingers in my mind.)

Kadri went on to describe the conditions that went into place millions of years ago to form this incredible landscape. Violent eruptions from the three active volcanoes in the region cracked open the surface of the plateau and spewed out lava, ash, mud, basalt. All hardened to various viscosities. That led to varying degrees of erosion from wind, rain, ice. The erosion together with landslides and earthquakes split cliffs vertically and formed the pillars that are essentially of two materials: Hard basaltic rock forms the protective cap or crown on top that is relatively resistant to erosion, while the lower, cone-shaped body is composed of easily erodible tufa.

While our eyes took in the beauty, scope and grandeur of the place, we could see that normal village life was going on in and around the cones. Small agricultural plots of apricots and melons were planted, and vineyards (Cappadocia is a major wine-producing area) were being cultivated in small clearings at the base of the pillars.

Stalls dotted the area, offering souvenirs of Turkish dolls, colorful ceramic plates, charming small boxes made of camel bone decorated with Ottoman splendors, silk scarves, Turkish vests and pillbox hats to match, alabaster statues, yellow and green onyx from the nearby rocky cliffs carved into bookends and fairy chimneys, blue evil eye beads and ornaments, even saffron, dried apricots, pistachios, (ITAL) lokum (uqTAL) (the confection also known as Turkish delight) and, of course, Turkish carpets.

As we trudged up the path of one cliff in Soganli Valley, we saw a local woman high up on one of the pinnacles. As we drew closer, we found her keeping cool inside the mouth of a cave, intently checking our progress, while her son and a customer in a stall below were engaged in serious bargaining over a crucial sale.

And while we looked at our surroundings, we could see that this whole area was riddled with such entranceways. All around us, hundreds of visitors were filing in and out of holes, doors and other openings in the steep, rugged cliffs, for there was even more compelling scenery underground. In the depths, the work of nature had been augmented by the work of man since the most ancient of times, as we discovered when Kadri began enriching his guide talk with words like ``catacomb galleries'' and ``troglodytes.'' Troglodytes? Because Kadri was talking about caves, were troglodytes similar to stalagmites? Ah, no. Troglodytes are cave dwellers and refer to those Christians from the fifth to 11th centuries who tried to escape religious persecution by seeking shelter in these very caves.

Millennia ago, this area was made up of a succession of traveling tribes: neolithic people, followed by Hittites, Romans, Persians, Greeks, the Selcuks and Ottomans. All left their mark on the place. Early Christian hermits were attracted to the region and used the natural caves to hew out monasteries for solitude and contemplation, and to provide refuge and refreshment for others. As early as the fourth century, St. Basil of Caesarea (known today as Kayseri) founded a religious community at Goreme.

Then, during centuries of periodic turmoil, persecuted Christians fled from their villages to the safety of these honey-colored rock caves. They were able to carve still more into the soft tufa stone (which hardens when exposed to air) to create catacombs, rooms and halls, stables, grain storage areas -- entire cities in the truest sense -- all to make the people self-sufficient and secure. Some cities even had long escape tunnels to protect them from invaders.

In the rock face, they also carved out pigeon lofts with hundreds of niches that are still used today, especially in Uchisar. The nesting birds inside excrete the guano that is then collected for use as fertilizer.

Though there are many simple cave dwellings, the more fascinating ones are the complex underground cities, with miles and miles of twisting, winding tunnels. It's easy to get glassy-eyed in this bewildering maze and lose your way -- a definite adventure killer -- but the tunnels are marked with arrows for wanderers like us -- red arrows for going down, blue for up, and electricity helps light the way. The troglodytes had neither and thereby earned our deep respect.

Kadri took us through one such tunnel in the huge underground city of Derinkuyu in the Valley of Soganli (eight levels have been excavated so far, and it is estimated that the city could have accommodated some 20,000 inhabitants). Actually, we crouched along, and proceeded, one in back of the other, single file, bending low to avoid cracking our heads on the rocky ceiling, wending our way down narrow and stark tunnels. But even this short distance unnerved some in our party. It was a test of their constitutions, for there was no turning back at this point as the tunnel was too low and narrow. But as soon as we reached a larger room where we could stand upright, they wasted no time in bolting for the exit and the wide open spaces.

The rest of us proceeded from level to level, astonished at the elaborate and careful interconnectedness of this complex with its stairwells, galleries and hallways. The various levels include cemeteries, conference rooms, air shafts, kitchens, storage areas, skylights and stairwells.

Today, some of the villagers in Goreme and Urgup still live in similar but smaller cave dwellings, and keep current with such late 20th century amenities as TVs and telephones. Some of the caves and rock cones have been converted into hotels and pensions for tourists with ample head room to accommodate those who yearn to live like the Flintstones -- at least for a day or two.

And, finally, we hit the high point, the most compelling marvel of all, the region's other hidden treasure, for out of his creative and spiritual need, man fashioned rock chapels, churches and monasteries -- some simple, some quite ornate with pillars, vaults, naves and baptismal fonts, all covered with superb frescoes portraying scenes from Christ's life and countless images of saints and patriarchs, and Christian symbols.

Local tradition has it that there were once as many churches as there were days of the year -- 365 in all. Today, about 30 are open to the public; not all are visible from the outside. There are churches in Zelve, some in the Valleys of Ihlara and Soganli, and other localities. Some 15 of them are clustered in the Goreme Open-Air Museum.

These ecclesiastical jewel boxes are a Christian legacy from the Byzantine period. They haunt the modern eye and lift the spirit. As we walked through the interiors and gazed upward at the painted scenes, we pointed our flashlights into dark corners and felt a sudden exhilaration of spirit. It would not have surprised us to hear the doxology burst forth from the frescoed saints, archangels and patriarchs on the ceilings and naves surrounding us.

Some of the faces on the paintings have been defaced by invaders; some were damaged during the so-called Iconoclastic Period from the seventh to ninth centuries; others deteriorated through time. Yet most are still well preserved, vivid in color and beauty, with luminous features plainly visible. Through all these centuries, they have been protected against light and changes in humidity because of the caves and the wonderful impermeability of the tufa stone on which they are painted.

Small-scale surprises abound in every niche and corner. Names of artists who painted the frescoes can sometimes be seen inscribed on the walls along with the names of those who financed the paintings. Even the names given to the churches charm and delight. Just outside the main entrance to Goreme is the exquisite Tokali Kilise (Church of the Buckle) with its spectacular dome and pillars that feature some 30 scenes from Christ's life, with 40 other detailed images from the Old Testament. Every inch of space has some art on it, but one critical piece is missing: The church was named for a buckle that was a decoration on one of its two arches, but the art has since disappeared.

Inside the park, there is the Elmali Kilise (Church of the Apple) that some say refers to an apple tree that grew in the vicinity. Paintings on the cupolas are in bright yellows, whites, browns, blues and reds, and portray not only scenes from the life of Christ, but inset in medallions on pillars are a series of images of prophets, patriarchs and evangelists.

Yilanli Kilise (Church of the Snake) features a fresco of St. George fighting the dragon as well as one of St. Onophrius who has chest muscles similar to a man but with the breasts of a woman. There is some confusion as to the real sex of the saint because the sexual organs in the fresco are covered with a palm frond. Local legend has it that St. Onophrius originally was a female, but God made her into a man to keep her away from sin.

Other intriguing churches include the Karanlik Kilise or so-called Dark Church (dark no longer since part of it collapsed), the Nameless Church, and the Sandal Kilise (the Chapel of the Sandal), the name designating the imprint on the floor that is said to be a cast of Jesus' own footstep. The Karabas Kilise (Church with the Black Heads) in the Valley of Soganli owes its name to the images of the saints whose faces have been blackened by deterioration and oxidation.

In those days now long gone, these churches provided release for burdened souls and gladness and joy for countless others. To the thousands who pass through their portals today, they still stand as a majestic witness to the faith of thousands from ages past.

INCIDENTAL INTELLIGENCE

When to go: March to October are the best months.

How to get there: There are direct flights from Istanbul to the airport in Kayseri, which is in the heart of Cappadocia. Other flights go from Europe and the United States into Ankara. Trains and buses are available for whichever city you choose as your base of exploration in the province of Nevsehir: Goreme, Urgup or Avanos.

Where to stay: Ataman Hotel and Restaurant, 50180 Goreme, Nevsehir; tel. (384) 271 23 10, fax (384) 271 23 13.

Turist Hotel Cappadocia, Muzeyolu Girisi, Goreme, Nevsehir; tel. (384) 271 24 30, fax (384) 271 20 11.

Perissia Hotel Cappadocia, Kayseri Cd. P.K. 68, 50401 Urgup, Nevsehir; tel. (384) 341 29 30, fax (384) 341 45 24.

Buyuk Almira Hotel, Kayseri Cad. No. 43, Urgup, Nevsehir; tel. (384) 341 89 90, fax (384) 341 89 99.

Several tour companies sell full-day excursions of the region. For more information, contact Turkish Tourist Office, 821 United Nations Plaza, New York, N.Y. 10017; tel. (212) 687-2194, fax (212) 599-7568.

(Lucy Barajikian is a travel and food writer living in Los Angeles, Calif.)

(c) 1998, Lucy Barajikian. Distributed by Los Angeles Times Syndicate.