Cappadocia is located approximately 50 km south of Mount Erciyes (Argaeus), a former vulcano. The violent eruptions of Erciyes covered the whole area with a thick layer of vulcanic ash. During the following ages this hardened tuff created a bizarre landscape by the strong influence of the wind and water erosion. Some of these chimney-like rock formations were dug-in as homes or sometimes as a church by the local people.