Fantastic Formations

Take a trip with mapmaker Jim McMahon as he tours some of Turkey’s strange terrains.

January 1, 2019

By Judy Dick

Jim McMahon/MapMan®

Jim McMahon

In the heart of Turkey, hundreds of supersized rock formations jut into the sky. Some of them are known as fairy chimneys—and they make up one of the most unusual landscapes in the world.

Cartographer Jim McMahon, also known as Mapman, got the chance to visit this magical spot last summer. He creates all kinds of maps for Geography Spin. One type of map is a topographic map. It shows the physical features of an area, like valleys, hills, and mountains. Jim spoke to Geography Spin about exploring some of Turkey’s physical features up close.

Geography Spin: Why did you pick Turkey?

Jim McMahon: Turkey is the crossroads between Asia and Europe. I’ve always wanted to go to a country that sits on two continents—that’s very rare!

GS: What was the most unusual place you visited there?

McMahon: Cappadocia (ka-puh- DOH-shuh)! When you arrive, you feel like you’ve landed on another planet. You can walk right up to the fairy chimneys and other crazy-looking rock structures.

GS: What do they look like?

McMahon: The fairy chimneys are tall, mushroom-shaped pillars. Other rocks are shaped like animals. Some of the rock formations became homes. People carved rooms into them.

GS: How did they form?

McMahon: They started as mounds of soft rock left by volcanic eruptions millions of years ago. But over time, wind and water slowly eroded the rock into the out-of-this-world sculptures we see today.

GS: What else did you see there?

McMahon: Underground cities! People built them centuries ago out of the soft rock in caves there. Some are as deep as several hundred feet—about 20 floors deep. People hid in them when enemies invaded. I actually got to stay in one of these cave dwellings—now a hotel—overnight.

GS: How did your trip help you understand topographic maps?

McMahon: To make a topographic map, I plug elevation numbers from scientists into my computer map program. These numbers tell how high an area of land is above sea level, or where the ocean meets the land. Then I draw a map with colored areas that represent those numbers. During my trip to Turkey, I flew over the land and got to see different landscapes like mountain forms, salt beds, and coastlines. Seeing it all with my own eyes really brought those numbers to life for me.