HOTEL HISTORY

HISTORICAL REMNANTS AROUND AYVALI VILLAGE (f.k.a ARAVAN)

Gamirasu is in the ancient valley of Ayvali Village (Aravan- name of the village in the Hittite times, 1600 B.C.) Ayvali is 10 km to the south of Urgup. Take the road to Mustafapasa. On the halfway after leaving Urgup, after the first bridge, turn right following the yellow sign pointing to Mazikoy Roman Tombs and Ayvali village (misspelled as Ayvalik). It is a peaceful small road with spectacular geographical formations.

 

HISTORICAL MONUMENTS

The Archaeologist Kemal Talih Turkmen (1949 - 1995) mentioned this road as being used in pre-historical periods (Urgup, Bilinmeyen Kapadokya'dan bir kesit, Ankara 1999). He discovered an "Obsidian Workshop" from the Stone Age and broken ceramics dated to the Assyrian Colony period (2000-1600 BC) just 200m to the north of the same bridge. This small hillside could have been used for several purposes for thousands of years.

EARLY ISTIAN BYZANTINE HERITAGE

The second bridge, just before you get to Ayvali, is called Haci Ismail Deresi Koprusu. Stop here and discover the Early istian Byzantine cave churches with frescoes a 100m to the south of the bridge. It is a place reserved only for you. 

The fact that very few people know about this place, and that the road is away from the main tourist destinations, has kept this place very unspoiled. Moreover, 12th Byzantine Era Ayvali Church is spectacular with its frescos.

ICERIDERE VALLEY, UNDERGROUND CITY

The cave houses, an unexcavated underground city, and potato and apple cave storage areas are all waiting to be discovered. Some villagers still live in the cave houses and they keep their latch strings always out for the guests of GAMIRASU. There are several water springs in the valley. A seven-kilometer long walking path brings you up to Golgoli ruins and Damsa Dam Lake, where you can behold an rare Cappadocian panorama. On the west, an astonishing sight over Cappadocia awaits you to behold.