Photos of the Medieval Cappadocia Uchisar Cave Fortress

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Photos of the Medieval Byzantine Cappadocia Uchisar Cave Fortress Castle, Anatolia Turkey. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams. (TIP – use the icons below the slideshow for thumbnail photos and info)

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Photos of the Medieval Byzantine Cappadocia Uchisar Cave Fortress Castle, Anatolia Turkey

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Photos of the Cave fortress Uchisar castle and fairy chimney rock formations and rock pillars, Uchisar, Cappadocia, Nevsehir, Turkey. A UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The foundation of Uçhisar

Uçhisar was first reported in the 14th century by Aziz ibn Ardasir but was occupied far earlier by the Hittites. Uchisar Cave Fortifications are cut into a high volcanic tuffa rock standing 60 meters high, with a vantage point over the Cappadocian plateau. This made it a natural perfect place to build a castle.

Uchisar castle

The Byzantine Romans built Uchisar castle as part of a buffer zone against Islamic expansion into Anatolia in the 7th century. The Byzantine Romans built passages below a hill top castle with cave houses for a 1000 people who manned the castle. Underground galleries run down a 100 meters below the rocks summit where the castle stood.

When Anatolia eventually fell to the Arabs, Uçhisar became an Arab stronghold with a small caravanserais for camel trains to stop over night.

Today Uçhisar castle rock is an impressive sight with windows visible running up its sheer sides. Earthquakes have caused rock slide exposing rooms deep within. One family still lives in one of Uchisar’s fairy chimneys and runs a cafe from it. It has been their family home for generations and is still decorated as all the traditional fairy chimney house used to be in the area.