Abandoned village of Kayaköy, Turkey

[HughieD]

Visited this a while back now in the early 90s. Really interesting place and amazing for the scale of abandonment and dereliction. Visited on a day trip from Fethiye, we were the only people there. Think there's a couple of other threads on the forum from other people who've been. The history below is courtesy of Wikipedia. Nothing left interior wise but interesting from an architectural pespective, especially the old church.

Kayaköy (Greek: Λεβισσι, Levissi or Greek: Καρμυλησσός, Karmylissos, although modern English usage seems to be Karmylassos) is a village 8 km south of Fethiye in southwestern Turkey where Anatolian Greek speaking Christians lived until approximately 1923. The ghost town, now preserved as a museum village, consists of hundreds of rundown but still mostly intact Greek-style houses and churches which cover a small mountainside and serve as a stopping place for tourists visiting Fethiye and nearby Ölüdeniz.

It was built on the site of the ancient city of Carmylessus in the 18th century. It experienced a renewal after nearby Fethiye (known as Makri) was devastated by an earthquake in 1856 and a major fire in 1885. After the Greco-Turkish War, Kayaköy was largely abandoned after a population exchange agreement was signed by the Turkish and Greek governments in 1923. Many of the buildings were damaged in the 1957 Fethiye earthquake.

Its population in 1900 was about 2,000, almost all Greek Christians; however, it is now empty except for tour groups and roadside vendors selling handmade goods and items scavenged from the former village. However, there are a selection of houses which have been restored, and are currently occupied.

Today Kayaköy village serves as a museum and is a historical monument. Around 500 houses remain as ruins and are under the protection of the Turkish government, including two Greek Orthodox Churches, which remain the most important sights of the ghost town. There is a private museum on the history of the town. In the middle of the village stands a fountain source from the 17th century. Kayaköy was adopted by the UNESCO as a World Friendship and Peace Village.

Kayaköy03_1 by HughieDW, on Flickr


Kayaköy02_1 by HughieDW, on Flickr


Kayaköy04_1 by HughieDW, on Flickr


Kayaköy05_1 by HughieDW, on Flickr


Kayaköy06_1 by HughieDW, on Flickr


Kayaköy07_1 by HughieDW, on Flickr


Kayaköy08_1 by HughieDW, on Flickr


Kayaköy09_1 by HughieDW, on Flickr


Kayaköy10_1 by HughieDW, on Flickr


Kayaköy11_1 by HughieDW, on Flickr


Kayaköy12_1 by HughieDW, on Flickr


Kayaköy01_1 by HughieDW, on Flickr

 

[UE-OMJ]

Wow! Thats taking it to another level completely! Cheers.

 

[perjury saint]

Christ! A whole derp town! Im likin this! That church is rather nice!

 

[Richard Davies]

Great photos, I went there last years & got some good pics.

 

[chris]

Wow - that is phenomenal

 

[night crawler]

Impressive I must say, weird how it was just left like that an no one else moved in.

 

[sonyes]

That's amazing!! Great pics, thanks for sharing.

 

[HughieD]

That's amazing!! Great pics, thanks for sharing.

Cheers Sonyes. Was back in the day of film so didn't take as many pictures as I do now we have digital...

 

[PaulPowers]

Ooooo That's a bit different

Really interesting spot

 

[UrbanX]

Fantastic photos, looks lovely weather for exploring!

 

[HughieD]

Fantastic photos, looks lovely weather for exploring!

Thank you UrbanX. If I remember correctly it was July and it was VERY hot. But rather have that than this current Easter Tundra weather

 

[TeeJF]

Wow! that place is awesome. There's a couple of villages like this in Italy too I believe.

 

[Bones out]

Blimey, I forgot about seeing this site, about 15 years ago as I recall. Remember walking down there as the Dormus nearly went over the side coming in from Town. Good stuff fella. See all them bones next to the chapel?

 

[HughieD]

Blimey, I forgot about seeing this site, about 15 years ago as I recall. Remember walking down there as the Dormus nearly went over the side coming in from Town. Good stuff fella. See all them bones next to the chapel?

I don't think I did mate. T'was a while a go but that's the sort of thing I'd remember seeing if I saw it...

 

[neill]

Visited this a while back now in the early 90s. Really interesting place and amazing for the scale of abandonment and dereliction. Visited on a day trip from Fethiye, we were the only people there. Think there's a couple of other threads on the forum from other people who've been.

Yep, here's a link:

[ame]http://www.derelictplaces.co.uk/main/showthread.php?t=17567[/ame]

N.

 

[Sshhhh...]

This is very nice! Great shots