Turkey City: Avanos
Old city Avanos (Avanos, 18 km northeast Nevsehir) climbs on the walls of the Kyzyl-Irmak Valley (Red River) – the longest river of Turkey (1151 km). Hetta called this river Marassantia – she was the border of their empire. In the Hett times, the city himself was originated, which served the then border guard and a large shopping center, famous for his potters.
The potter fishery serves as the basis of the well-being of the city and now – rich in iron (hence the red water of the river) The surrounding hills are the source of excellent clay, to which the river Il (often only illustrate without impurities and goes to the manufacture of dishes). From her local masters and make the characteristic clay dishes decorated with a geometric pattern or a floral ornament. Monument on the main square of Avanosa just depicts potter, near which women work beyond the weaving machine – fabrics are another business card of the city. Although the picturesque cobbled streets of old quarters, numerous Ottoman, Armenian and Greek buildings of Avosowa are quite interesting in themselves, the real local landmark is still a clay tableware and Masters-Gonchars.
- central square
- Gonchar in workshop
- Urban street
- Clay dishes
In numerous tiny workshops scattered in colorful old quarters, can be purchased dishes, which is done by technology used by another 10-15 centuries ago. One of the most famous workshops – Chez Galip – belongs to the Master Galipa, who gladly shows the tourists with a few dozen tons of raw materials, a potted circle, as well as all the ancient manufacturing technology and decoration of dishes. Interestingly, the masters work only with natural light and dried out the open-air dishes. Only after a few days of drying under the hot sun, it is burned in a wood-burning furnace at a temperature of 950-1200 ° C for ten o’clock. And guests-women, the master asks to bring a gift to his collection, adorning the cave in one of the rear rooms – 1-2 hair (it is believed that it brings good luck). Workshops Chez Grayay (opposite the mosque Alaceddin Kamai and Statues of Ataturk) and Chez Omurlu (lies next to Chez Galip) offer more modern types of dishes, although the best of their samples is too large so that they can be taken with them. Also good handmade carpets and rustic, but high-quality local wines.
Around the city
14 km north of Avanos, in a village Ozkonak (Ozkonak), lies one of the least known and weakly studied underground cities of Cappadocia (open daily: in the summer – from 8.00 to 19.00, in winter – from 8.00 to 17.00, entrance – 5 try). The city was discovered in 1972 by Muzzy Latif Asar, who was looking for where the water he wates his field. He found an underground cavity, the excavations in which led to the opening of the city, able to accommodate up to sixty thousand people. Ten it "Floors" 40 meters descended (open to visit only four top levels of 15 meters deep), storage rooms, grapes, animal stalls and even swimming pool (maybe just "Drinking" For the same animals). But the most awesome element of the complex are stone doors opened with the system of wooden levers and equipped with a whole system of holes through which the boiling oil was supplied during the city defense from enemies (sandstone, from which the door is made, not the strongest material in the world, therefore such means of defense well-justified).
6 km east of Avanos, along the New Road on Cayseri, is a carefully restored beautiful caravansery Saruhan Seljuk period (open daily from 9.00 to 18.00, entrance – 2 TRY), near which every morning (usually in 9.00) passes the view telling about "Riser dervisha" (quite checked pleasure – 25 euros).
And along the old road on Kayseri, 22 km from Avanos, you can find several outlets of hot mineral waters at once, around which several unofficial resort guest houses are built surrounded by vineyards.
Reviews and studies of trips
Cappadocia: Night in the Museum
The grave winds created from the yields of breed, frozen lava and volcanic ashes. Fancy structures. "Mushrooms", "Housing Fey", Various animals – not all associations. Read more →
Anna Khoroinova | April 2010
Such a different Turkey
The trip took eighteen days. Our route: Istanbul – Ankara – Cappadocia (Horse) – Pamukkale – Fetie – Kash – Demre – Fetie – Selchuk – Izmir – Istanbul. I wanted to see another Chankkale and Bursa, but "We assume, and God has", So came out. Historical references, the description of the monuments in this report was not our goal, as detailed, useful information can be found in other reviews about Turkey, guidebooks. We will briefly discuss the description, but mostly our impressions, recommendations. Read more →
Elena | July 2007
Dust Eastern roads
The whole flight from Bucharest in Istanbul occupies exactly an hour. The air route passes over the Black Sea, so it was impossible to see anything interesting in the windows. But I turned my place with a super bonus – next to a spare way out, which means that the distance to the ahead of the armchair is a whole meter! Did not have time for citizens in the plane to drink their coffee or something stronger, as the plane has already walked for landing. Finally, the strip of sushi appeared in the porthole, and after a few minutes we swept over the bottle of Bosphorus, whose lead waters were slowly crawled down dozens of large ships and thousands of some boats. Read more →
