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A road connecting Goreme and Ortahisar that was closed to traffic in 2022 has led to a major archaeological discovery.
Excavations led by the Nevsehir Museum Directorate and supported by Nevsehir Haci Bektas Veli University have uncovered nearly 50 graves along with living spaces and storage rooms carved into the rock.
Nevsehir Museum Director and excavation head Gokhan Maskar said the discovery adds new depth to the region’s history.
“Since 2022, we have identified nearly 50 graves, many of a type not seen before in the region,” he said. “In 2025, we confirmed that the site dates back to the fifth century A.D. The architectural remains and artifacts support this conclusion.”
Findings include reliquary crosses, coins, earrings and bracelets. The team also uncovered graves believed to belong to clergy, as well as burials of infants and adults.
The site sits near the entrance of the Goreme Open Air Museum, one of Cappadocia’s busiest tourist attractions.
The road was permanently closed after UNESCO warned it was damaging the area’s natural structure.
Authorities plan to open the necropolis as an archaeopark with walking paths and glass terraces.
Cappadocia Area President Birol Incecikoz said, “Our goal is to present these areas to humanity as a heritage for the future.”
Cappadocia sits in Central Anatolia. It draws travelers for its valleys, fairy chimneys, and rock-carved churches.
The core protected area is Goreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1985.
The listing notes a landscape shaped by erosion and by long human use, with cave dwellings and underground towns spread across the tuff plateaus.
Goreme Open Air Museum lies at the heart of visitor routes.
Churches here preserve medieval frescoes with scenes from the New Testament. The complex includes the Dark Church and the large Tokali (Buckle) Church near the museum entrance.
Hot air balloon flights, hiking paths, and small museums keep visitors in the area for several days. The valleys around Goreme, Uchisar, Urgup, and Avanos offer marked trails and viewpoints.
Goreme Open Air Museum groups monastic buildings cut into the rock. Many churches date to the 10th to 12th centuries.
Visitors can see painted cycles of the life of Christ, the Baptism, and the Nativity. Tokali Church stands out for its scale and its painted program.
UNESCO notes visitor pressure in parts of the park. Authorities manage paths and access to protect fragile cones and pillars. Travelers should follow marked routes and local guidance.
How can you get to Cappadocia in Türkiye: Airports, buses, shuttle options
By air to Goreme
By bus or combined transport
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