GUZELYURT - Prince Tomohito Mikasa of Japan, the nephew of Emperor Hirohito of Japan, visited on Saturday Ihlara Valley in Guzelyurt town of central province of Aksaray.
Prince Mikasa and sixty-member accompanying delegation visited caves and historical churches in the valley.
Noting that Turkey was very rich of historical assets, Prince Mikasa said that he had been visiting Turkey for the tenth time.
Expressing his admiration with the Cappadocia region, Prince Mikasa said that he would not leave Turkey before visiting Ihlara Valley.
Prince Mikasa is expected to stay in Turkey till June 28.
The valley is 16 km long and both sides of gorge are lined with rock carved churches, about 100 in all. Early Christians constructed their rock houses and temples by carving the tufes in the valley of Ihlara through the valley runs the Melendiz riverlet. The waters of the riverlet named Ihlara as Peristrema meaning ''the people of circulating waters''.
(UK-MS) 21.06.2003