Avanos, Nevşehir, Türkiye

Visit duration: 1 hr 30 min Editorial visit time estimate

Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor

About Avanos

Avanos is a Cappadocian town 18 km north of Nevşehir, the seat of Avanos District. Known in antiquity as Venessa, it stands on the banks of the Kızılırmak (Red River), the ancient Halys and Turkey's longest river. Its most important industry is pottery, a craft that probably dates back to Hittite times and uses clay from the red silt of the river. It draws visitors for its old town and its riverside setting.

Checked 2026-11-10 · Source

What's inside

Old Avanos is riddled with small underground spaces that may once have been homes and are now mainly used by the town's many pottery workshops. According to Strabo, ancient Venessa was the third most important town of the Kingdom of Cappadocia. From Roman and Byzantine times comes the rock-cut Dereyamanlı church. Most visible remains date from the 19th and early 20th centuries: stone houses built mostly by the Greek and Armenian communities, in the older part of town on the river's northern bank.

Checked 2026-11-10 · Source