Turkey Travel—Fairy Chimneys

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Fairy Chimneys⭐⭐

With a single ticket, you can access both Fairy Chimneys and Zelve Open Air Museum (Paşabağları Müze ve Örenyeri).^[1]

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.

Photo Gallery

The below photos were taken on 03/26/2023.

References

1. Turkey’s ‘Fairy Chimneys’ Were Millions of Years in the Making