Uçhisar Kalesi (Uçhisar Castle)

Uçhisar Kalesi (Uçhisar Castle) Review

Uçhisar Kalesi is not so much a "castle," as its Turkish name implies, but the highest fairy chimney in Cappadocia. It was used as a fortress in the late Byzantine and early Ottoman periods, and later inhabited by the locals. The striking formation is riddled with rock-cut houses, giving it a Swiss-cheese look but it was evacuated in the 1960s when erosion put everything in danger of collapse and the structure was declared a disaster zone (residents were moved to safer dwellings in the shadow of the giant rock). There's a great view of the town and the valleys from the top (though you'll have to have to do a good bit of climbing to get there), and it's a beautiful spot from which to watch the sunset.