SOGANLI VALLEY AND ITS CHURCHES

Soganli valley, which was continuously inhabited since the earliest days of the Christian era, has churches that date from the 9th to 13th centuries. Some of the churches contain inscriptions giving the exact dates of construction and thus have provided scholars with valuable clues to help date other churches in Cappadocia. Soganli, like other valleys in Cappadocia, exemplifies the harmony between man and nature. Over the centuries men carved shelters for themselves in the cliffs and rock cones of the valley. They also used the rocks provided by nature to create expressions of their religious faith and devotion to God. In Soganli, for the first time the exterior surfaces of some cones were carved to form unique churches with high drums and domes.