Fairy Chimneys, Avanos, Nevşehir, Turkey
On the high plateau of central Anatolia in Turkey, magic can seem real. What else but enchantment could shape rock and stone into spindly stems that rise, mushroom-like, out of the earth? How could geology ever explain such a surreal phenomenon? Together, the landscape of spires looks like something out of a Salvador Dalí fever dream. Even the nickname of these formations — “fairy chimneys” — evokes the supernatural.
But magic doesn’t exist. (Too bad.) The chimneys are a result of a geologic process that began millions of years ago, when volcanic eruptions rained ash across what would eventually become Turkey. That ash hardened into tuff, a porous rock, which was covered by a layer of basalt. Finally, the long work of erosion began. As millennia passed, the softer tuff wore down, giving way to pillars that stand as tall as 130 feet. The harder basalt erodes more slowly, forming a protective, mushroom-shaped cap over each one. Just like that, a fairy chimney is born — no pixie dust required.
Epic Turkey Culture & Adventure Route © Monika Newbound
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