Boğaz and Boğazköy Obsidian

Boğaz is a destination for anyone who wants to learn about a landscape through how it was formed. Boğazköy obsidian occurs in black and red. It formed when lava emerged from fissures around the Acıgöl Caldera and cooled rapidly. The contrast in color is a striking introduction to the area's geology; its age, extent, and internal structure complete the picture.

Black and red obsidian

Boğazköy obsidian extends in narrow zones along fissures. Obsidian that extends in this way is called a dike. This makes the fissure structure an important part of its geological classification. The Boğazköy obsidian dikes are listed as volcanic geomorphosites in the Kapadokya Geopark. If you are planning a visit, check the visiting arrangements in advance.

Age and extent

Boğazköy obsidian belongs to the second eruptive phase of the rhyolitic Acıgöl Complex. At the edge of the Acıgöl Caldera, it is 0.15 to 0.175 million years old, making it older than the obsidian in the caldera domes, which is dated to 0.15 to 0.075 million years ago. Boğazköy obsidian is also approximately 160,000 to 180,000 years old. It originated in the area around Kocadağ. A massive lava flow spread out in a fan shape and in stages, reaching the present-day Boğazköy plain. The geological connections thus extend from the area around Kocadağ to this plain.

Structures in the rock

Smaller structures also give Boğazköy obsidian its distinctive character. The spherulites are 1 to 5 cm in size and occur as individual, compound, or clustered crystals; they are surrounded by volcanic glass. Hand specimens of Boğazköy obsidian show spherulitic and amygdaloidal textures. Their dimensions, crystal forms, and textures describe different aspects of the rock: alongside color, size and structure are also among its geological characteristics.

Culture in the wider destination of Nevşehir

In the wider destination of Nevşehir, the Karanlık Church provides a cultural contrast to the geology of Boğaz. The church is in the Göreme Valley, within a monastery complex that is part of the Göreme Open-Air Museum, and dates to the late 11th or early 12th century. Very little light entered through a small window in the narthex, helping the frescoes retain particularly vivid colors. The frescoes depict scenes from the life of Jesus and portrayals of saints. The Göreme Open-Air Museum has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List as a natural and cultural heritage site since December 6, 1985. Thus, in the wider destination of Nevşehir, religious art and history sit alongside Boğaz's volcanic story.

Plan your stay

When choosing your holiday apartment in Boğaz, you can first decide what you want to focus on during your trip: would you like to learn about the formation of Boğazköy obsidian, or combine your stay with cultural sites in the wider destination of Nevşehir? If you are planning to visit the dikes, check the visiting arrangements in advance.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Mustafapaşa, Nevşehir, Ayvali, İbrahimpaşa Köyü, Nar, Derinkuyu, Uçhisar, Mazı

To the overview of the wider destination: Nevşehir.