📷 Steemit Photo Challenge - SPC 43 | Derelict - Entry #1 - Levissi Lower Church 📷

Near the town of Fethiye in Turkey lies the village of Kayaköy (wikipedia link). The village stands, deserted today, on the rocky hillsides of the Aegean cost, as a gentle reminder of what nationalistic identities can bring upon society.

Dating back into antique times the area was first inhabited approximately 5000yrs ago. The town flourished as an important trade city until 1100 AD, then known as Carmylessus and inhabited by about 20.000 people at the time.

From the 18th century on the town of Levissi was built ontop of the ruins of Carmylessus. Inhabited by Armenians and later Greeks, it was a flourishing town of craftsmen and traders until the treaty of Lausanne forced the Greek out of Turkey in 1922/23. The Turkish population brought back from Greece for resettlement, though, was mainly farmers and couldn't make much of living in the hillsides, they preferred the fertile plains below.

Ever since, the town stands deserted.

Louis de Bernières has used Kayaköy as a blueprint for the the village of Eskişehir in his novel "Birds without wings".

The picture shows the interior of the "lower church" built by the orthodox Greeks in Levissi.

I have originally published this image on deviantart in 2012. For steemit exclusive, here are some extra shots (not entries to the SPC) from around Kayaköy. It's a creepy yet beautiful place... if you're ever in the area you should really consider stopping by for a hike here:

levissi lower church exterior

scenic view over Kayaköy

a closer scenic view over Kayaköy

all the hills around Kayaköy are lined with ruins

the open places in the town are often laid out with these amazing pebble mosaics

that's all for Entry #1.

Thanks for stopping by!

link to the SPC theme announcement

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