Colorful hot air balloons before launch in Goreme national park, Cappadocia, Turkey
The Turkish region of Cappadocia is straight out of the pages of a science fiction book.
Some 30 million years ago, the three volcanoes that surround the region erupted, blanketing the plateau in volcanic ash and mud. Over time, this ash and mud compressed into a rock material referred to as tuff. Wind and flood waters that passed over the plateau in the successive millennia transformed its smooth surface into an uneven landscape of gullies via erosion. The end product is the steep sloped rock formations that we today refer to as fairy chimneys.
If spirituality entices you along with meditative chants and riveting discussions with monks and nuns fascinate you, monasteries are your peaceful retreats. Housing monks and nuns, monasteries are a place to live in seclusion where the inhabitants explore faith. An array of religions has monasteries, including Christianity, Hinduism, and Buddhism, where the people who chose this path believe in living humbly. The Greek root meaning of the term “monastery” itself signifies living alone. Not everyone can adopt such a lifestyle, albeit experiencing it for a while can bestow peace to the soul. This is a guide to remote monasteries on earth.
