Hoodos: The Beautiful Fairy Chimneys That Appear To Be From Another Planet

Cappadocia: Unlike the sedimentary rocks that make up Bryce Canyon's hoodoos, the fairy chimneys of Cappadocia in Göreme, Turkey, are primarily composed of volcanic rock—namely, a thick layer of ashy tuff topped by a layer of basalt. Because tuff is such a soft, porous rock, it erodes quicker than basalt, which is why many of Cappadocia's hoodoos take the umbrellalike shape of a mushroom. Starting around the fourth century, Cappadocia's famous fairy chimneys were carved out and turned into dwellings, churches, monasteries, and more. Because of the "unique evidence of Byzantine art" it provides, UNESCO declared it a World Heritage site in 1985.