Zelve, located 5 km from Avanos and 1 km from Paşabağları, is situated on the steep northern slopes of Aktepe. Comprising three valleys, the Zelve Open-Air Museum is the area with the highest concentration of fairy chimneys in Cappadocia. As one of nature’s remarkable creations, the Zelve site became an important settlement and religious center for Christians between the 9th and 13th centuries. The first religious seminars for priests were held in this region. The most important churches in the valley — Balıklı, Üzümlü, and Geyikli — date back to the pre-Iconoclastic period (before 728–842). The area also features a chapel dedicated to Saint Simeon, along with numerous rock-carved spaces. Inhabited until 1952, the valley contains monasteries, churches, residential areas, as well as tunnels, a mill, and structures like a mosque.
