Devrent Valley (or imagination valley )is the bewitching corner of Cappadocia which have the endless legends and attractions. Literally we can say you will explore the valley by dreaming not by walking because the other name of this valley is ‘Imaginary Valley’. There are no churches inside, Roman graves and stone carved residential areas but you will create your own fairy tale with your characters.
Avanos Devrent Valley
Cappadocia was a giant inland sea 50 million years ago. The sea dried due to generated temperature of volcano eruption that is located around and it yielded its place to deep valleys which is full of soft stones that formatted from cooled down lava. A long time afterwards, floods with strong storm, converted these lavas to fairy chimneys that various shapes. Devrent Valley where located in Avanos region has the magical atmosphere that is dominated in Cappadocia. Since each fairy chimney in the valley seems like if it was alive and turned into stone, it has called as Hayal Valley (Imaginary Valley) or ‘Pembe Valley (Pink Valley)’ because of rocks’ color at the sunset by whole world.
Devrent Valley was used as a background of an TV series of Asmalı Konak that was shooted in Cappadocia years ago and was watched admirably. The camel-shaped fairy chimney is become both the face of Cappadocia and the most well-known part of the valley because of the TV series. Since the camel-shaped fairy chimney is the first stop of the visitors who come to the Devrent Valley, it is turned by hedges to be prevented its devastation. There are many fairy chimneys in Devrent Valley which is reminded the different living creatures, especially for animals, like this camel-shaped one. In the valley, you can feel as travelling in sculpture zoo which is created by nature and you can see the caravan that follows a camel, a seal that is kept away from the sea or birds, rabbits and horses. Moreover, you can also see on the fairy chimneys seem as The Virgin Mary open her hands or Jr. Jesus or people have the Napoleon hat, in short, it is all about your imagination.
Even if the meaning of the valley’s name is the ‘deep hole’ or ‘cliff’, it is not creepy, in contrast to, it is crowded like a tale world, it is very quiet place to watch while the moon born, and it is fascinating place that feels like an another world. Devrent Valley has a ‘U’ shape and one of the edges is reached to Kızılçukur. Paşabağı and Zelve is located at the middle of the Devrent Valley. Contrary to Zelve Valley, there is no living space in Devrent Valley.Different from the other Cappadocia valleys, there are no walking tracks in this valley, there are many fairy chimneys that can be liken to thousands of creatures.
Devrent Valley also has no entrance and exit points, it is not a valley that you can follow from the map. Gift shops are located straight ahead to the entrance of the valley and there is a free car park for visitors coming by car. When you enter the valley, you will face with the camel-shaped fairy chimney first and you will finish the alley in half an hour. When you look at the high points of the valley, you see the amazing scenery. The back of the peak that you see is Zelve Valley. Cappadocia tour buses generally stop at this point and let the visitors to take photographs for scenery.
Devrent Valley Location and Transportation
The answer of where the Devrent Valley is and how the transportation is, has two options. One of them is Avanos – Ürgüp road that is preferred mostly. If you use this road, you can arrive to Devrent Valley from the top and you can watch as bird’s eye view. The another one is Paşabağı – Zelve road. When you prefer this, you will arrive first Ürgüp road from Aktepe, which is located between Avanos and Çavuşin, then arrive the Devrent Valley. The distance between Aktepe Village and Devrent Valley is 2,6 km.
6,6 km from Devrent Valley to Avanos and 5,7 km to Ürgüp. Goreme Open Air Museum is located at 12 km away.
The Myths of Devrent Valley
Different stone formations in the valley has subjected to mysterious myths of Cappadocia. One of the rumors is the fairy chimneys have happened from people who punished and lithified. There was shrine in a haunted valley on the crests of Aktepe, and a wise man called as ‘Dede’ was living around the shrine. He was able to remove water when he hit its baton the ground. One day a gang named army of foreigners has come to the valley. Their aim is to demolish the shrine and to killed firstly the wise man and all people living in the village. The wise man has opened his hands towards the God and has defended himself and prayed as ‘God, please turn the enemies to stones or birds.’ Then, his prayers have accepted by God and it has converted people to stones with their animals same as the camel-shaped fairy chimney. Around of the Cappadocia, Three Sacred Christian Rocks and Paşabağı has the same rumors same as Devrent Valley.
Places to See Near Devrent Valley
One of the places where you will see the fairy chimneys identified with Cappadocia the most intense is Paşabağı. In order to arrive Paşabağı, has 14 m and mushroom capped fairy chimneys, which has the highest fairy chimneys of Cappadocia, you should follow the Avanos – Goreme road and turned to Zelve. It is also named as ‘Priests Valley’ is a place where the first Christian monks lived.
Zelve Valley is one of the oldest regions of the Cappadocia and it is far from 1 km to Paşabağı. Christianity firstly started to spread from here. While visiting the valley, you will encounter caves, many churches, monasteries and settlements.
Avanos is known with its pottery. In the past, men who lives in Avanos and do not know doing the pottery and girls who do not know carpet weaving could have not married. Avanos is one of the places that has the most plentifulness of Kızılırmak. When you come here, you should watch and try doing pottery.