Kayaköy tells of a part of history that is largely unknown and it retains its buildings which were abandoned nearly a century ago. After the Turkish War of Independence and the Geneva agreements of 1923, Turkey and Greece underwent huge exchanges of populations. Kayaköy, a mostly Greco-Christian village was emptied of its inhabitants. The place still remains clinging to the side of the mountain and has survived the tests of time.
People will talk to you about Kayaköy, the 'ghost village'. It does have a very particular feel to it. Hundreds of hovels have resisted nature in this Mediterranean landscape. The houses no longer have roofs or windows, just a few stone walls show where they once stood. Sometimes there is the odd glimpse of colours to hint at what once was. An air of poetic decrepitude reigns.
Kayaköy is a reminder of the realities of the past and it is certainly worth visiting during a stay in Turkey. There are still two 17th century churches. As well as the ruins, I really liked the smell of dried herbs which is omnipresent in this abandoned setting.