In Cappadocia, medieval enthusiasts find a world of their own

In Türkiye's Cappadocia region, where volcanic rock formations, cave dwellings and ancient underground cities already give the landscape an otherworldly feel, hundreds of people are stepping into another era.

Dressed in medieval-inspired costumes and accessories, enthusiasts from Türkiye and abroad are gathering in the town of Urgup for a four-day fair that brings together people fascinated by the Middle Ages, from history and literature to period clothing and mythology.

The event was launched in 2023 by Muammer Erinal, a 60-year-old architect who has lived in Urgup for 24 years. What began as an effort to share his childhood fascination with the medieval world has grown into an annual gathering that Erinal says now draws thousands of people.

Erinal's interest began with stories his mother read to him as a child.
"I used to read these kinds of books, and even before I started reading, my mother would read them to me," he told Anadolu. "I would draw little heroes for myself. I would cut them out of cardboard and make them fight and talk on horses I made from cardboard as well."

His grandfather once told him he wished there were a way to record those childhood games so that Erinal could watch them when he grew up.
"Now, in fact, I have realized this dream of mine," he said.

From a medieval-themed restaurant to a festival
After buying an old building in Urgup and transforming it into a medieval-themed restaurant, Erinal began organizing the fair as a way to bring together people who shared his interests while contributing to tourism in the region.

Participants prepare their costumes months in advance, with some traveling from abroad with outfits created specifically for the event. This year's edition of the Barbarian Medieval Fair took place from Sept. 18-20.

"There are people who have been making and researching costumes for six or seven months just to attend this event, and there are people bringing costumes from abroad," Erinal said.
The first event attracted visitors from across Türkiye as well as artists from El Salvador and Mexico, he said.

"When I saw that crowd, I almost cried," Erinal said. "Hundreds of people came, but it grows every year. There are thousands of people this year."
For Erinal, the biggest surprise has been discovering how many people share an interest that he once thought was unusual.

"I used to feel lonely about something like this, but there is an incredible community interested in the Middle Ages and reading books about the Middle Ages," he said. "It is enjoyable to all be together."

A landscape made for another era
Cappadocia, a UNESCO World Heritage-listed region in central Türkiye, is known for its distinctive fairy chimney rock formations, cave homes and churches carved into volcanic stone. Its unusual landscape attracts millions of visitors each year and has long made it one of Türkiye's best-known tourism destinations.
For Erinal's daughter Ada, an architect, the setting is an important part of the experience.
"When you go outside, there are already stone buildings and dim lights," she said. "You cannot capture this in Istanbul or Ankara."
If the event grows further, she said, Cappadocia's atmosphere would make it an especially fitting home.
"That mystical atmosphere is very suitable for it," she said.

'As if I have been transported to a different period'
For some participants, the attraction is less about historical reconstruction than the feeling of briefly leaving modern life behind.
Deniz Apaydin, who traveled from the western Turkish city of Eskisehir, said she has been interested in history and mythology since childhood and attends the event every year.
"Cappadocia is already geographically very suitable for the Middle Ages," she said.
"When I leave city life and come here, I feel as if I have been transported to a different period and lived there. Then when I return, I have the same feeling of regret, saying, 'We've gone back again.'"
For Rafael Bukov, who traveled from Russia, the event was also a reason to visit Türkiye for the first time.
He said he was struck by both the landscape and the sight of so many people in period costumes.
"This is an incredible atmosphere," Bukov said. "There are so many people in costumes. It's fun and exciting."