Zelva - Roman settlement. Home settling the complex belongs to the 2-5 centuries AD. In the 11-13 centuries, Christians have come here and made a series of caves in the residential cells and churches and a monastery, whose church - Üzümlü ("Church of the grapes' 8-9 century), salmon (" Fish ") and Geyikli (" Deer ") - have survived. Until the twenties of the 20th century, to "exchange of populations" between Greece and Turkey, there lived the Greek diaspora. It was a very small town. People lived here in the fifties of the 20th century, until the collapse of the cliff there was a danger. Then the inhabitants moved for a couple of kilometers further (now the village of Aktepe, or Yeni Zelve). Once placed on both slopes of the valley house completely deserted in 1952. Since 1967, it operates as a museum of Zelve.

Zelve is of volcanic origin, as well as the entire region of Cappadocia. Even today, the ancient volcano of Mount Argey considered active. The mountain, whose height is 3971 meters, has another name in the local dialect, it sounds like "Erciyes Dag." It is inhabited by local peoples, towers above all the surrounding hills and is visible from afar.

In the clefts and rocky walls of the village nestled quite ancient origin. Dwellings carved into the tuff, used as space, opened the waters. In this huge cave entrances were located at great depths. Small houses of masonry were built there in the later period. Community lived here - first the Christians and then Muslims had an important demographic significance, and also called for the creation of various services. To us came confirmation of the unusual lifestyle that these people were in the bowels of the earth.

Zelve can be described as the Three Gorges, pitted rock houses, tunnels, churches. Rock settlement begins on the way to Zelve, and the most populated in the ancient part is now a museum. Here you can see the church as well as a place to collect groundwater, a room with a flat roof and a projection, served bench mill firmly planted stone disc, serving a millstone, which rotates in the drum, carved directly into the mountain rock.

The local churches are practically no frescoes, despite the fact that as a monastery complex existed for several centuries after the lifting of the ban on the icon that is Zelve and remained a supporter of iconoclasm. In total there are fifteen churches 9-15 centuries. The biggest church in the museum under the open sky - "The Church of grapes" or "Uzumlu kilisesi" and other church - "Geyikli" features simple architectural execution.

The ruins of a small Ottoman mosque located near the left wall .  From it were for the moment only partly carved into the rock, and the mihrab prayer hall, which is indicative of the preservation of local traditions in architecture .  To explore the complex needed a flashlight and a great sense of adventure .  Right on the go, at the end of the valley, you can see the cell door leading to the inner rooms of iron stairs .  If you find yourself at the top, the main challenge will be run inside: in some caves can only be reached by stone steps doubtful, in others - crawling through a large hole in the floor (ancient grope support for hands and feet) .  Sometimes it is necessary to jump on are quite far lower levels .  A special adventure awaits you in the tunnel between the two valleys on the right (if you stand back to the parking lot) .  On it you can go unless you have nerves of steel .  Doing so is not prepared physically and sick people from claustrophobia are not recommended, but if you are energetic and not afraid of heights, you get enormous pleasure from it .