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 19th century
Cappadocian houses were built on hill sides, either
carved out of the rock or built from large cut stones.
Volcanic stone is the only architectural material in the
region used for building ; it is soft when extracted and
can therefore easily be cut and shaped. It hardens on
contact with air to form a very resistant material. The
abundance of stone in the area, and the ease of use have
created a building technique unique to the area.
Wood is used
for courtyard gates and the houses' doors. Rosette and
ivy patterns are used as decorations above the arched
doors.
The areas
between floors are decorated in up to three rows of
rosettes, fans, stars, palmet, weather vanes and
stylized plant patterns.
Windows are
grouped in twos and threes and stylized plant patterns
are also used as decorative borders. Two types of
windows are used, either two panes opening separately or
guillotine style.
In both types of houses there are numerous living rooms,
a kitchen, cellar, store room, an oven (tandir), wine
vat etc. Niches found in the guest rooms are decorated
with paintings of vases full of flowers under silk,
tasselled curtains, scenes from nature or women filling,
or carrying water vessels. These scenes are painted on
plaster.
The most
interesting examples of local architecture belong to the
end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries.
Examples can be found all over the region, but
particularly in Ürgüp, Ortahisar, Mustafapasa,
Bashisar, Goreme, Avanos, and in Guzeloz and nearby
Baskoy in the province of Kayseri and in Guzelyurt in
the vicinity of Ihlara Canyon.
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