Mustafapaşa

Mustafapaşa combines historic architecture and regional traditions with striking rocky landscapes in the surrounding area. Mansions, churches and old doors tell the story of the town; to the south lie valleys with rock formations, churches and monasteries. Local crafts and cuisine also offer insights into the area’s diverse cultural influences. When choosing your holiday apartment, you can consider whether you want to focus your trip primarily on the town itself or on its surroundings as well.

Architecture and history in the town

Mustafapaşa’s mansions date from the 18th and 19th centuries and combine Ottoman and Greek architectural elements. The Church of Saints Constantine and Helena is a basilica with three naves and three apses. It was built in 1729 and restored in 1850. Differences in architectural style and date of construction bring the town’s history to life through specific buildings.

The historic doors in Mustafapaşa’s narrow streets are also remarkable details: made of wood and stone, they reflect the artistic outlook and way of life of the periods in which they were created. Another landmark is Maraşoğlu Bridge. Built from dressed stone, it is 16 metres long and 2.5 metres wide; three pointed arches connect the historic districts of Gavras and Yeni Mahalle.

According to its inscription, the Mehmet-Şakir-Paşa Madrasa was built by Mehmet Şakir Paşa in 1899 and now serves as an educational building for Kapadokya University. The Kapadokya Sanat ve Tarih Müzesi, also known as Bebek Müzesi, opened as a unique museum under Turkey’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism following extensive restoration and exhibits kitre dolls. Traditional crafts in Mustafapaşa also include making these dolls, as well as ceramics and pottery.

Rocky valleys and churches nearby

South of Mustafapaşa lies Manastır Valley, whose landscape is marked by numerous conical rock formations. The valley contains churches and monasteries. Also south of the town, near its centre in Manastır Valley, is the Monastery of Saint Nicholas. It consists of four rooms that adjoin one another at the lower level and are partly made of masonry and partly carved into the rock. In the 19th century, the monastery played an important role in the religious and social life of the people of Sinasos.

Gomeda Valley is about 2 km southwest of Mustafapaşa. Its features include churches carved into the rock, dwellings, dovecotes, vineyards and an underground city. The Timios Stavros Church, also called Alakara, is also located in the valley. The nearby Church of Saint Basil lies on the eastern slope of Beyderesi Valley, north of Mustafapaşa. It was closed to visitors in 2012 due to the risk of collapse; in 2018, part of the structure collapsed towards the valley after a section of rock broke away. Its particularly dense and well-preserved wall paintings are another art-historical feature. The Church of Saint Gregory in Mustafapaşa is privately owned.

The Mustafapaşa and Surroundings Nature Conservation Area was registered as a qualified natural conservation area and an area for sustainable protection and controlled use. The registration was published in the Turkish Official Gazette on 19 July 2026.

Cuisine, vineyards and getting around

Mustafapaşa’s cuisine brings together culinary influences from the Ottoman Turks, the exchanged Greek population and the Muhacir communities. A commonly eaten Muhacir dish is Presul pita with pickled cabbage. In autumn, visitors come to Mustafapaşa’s vineyards to watch the grape harvest.

To get around town, two routes in Mustafapaşa start at University Square: the first heads towards Mehmet-Şakir-Paşa Street, and the second towards Sümer Street. A bus service connects Mustafapaşa and Ürgüp. When choosing your holiday apartment, you can also consider whether your travel plans focus more on Mustafapaşa or on visiting Ürgüp.

Discover more places

If you’d like to explore more destinations: Avanos, İbrahimpaşa Köyü, Uçhisar, Kozaklı, Ayvali, Ürgüp, Boğaz and Bozca Köyü.

For the main travel overview: Nevşehir.