Kula Volkanları

The making of the Burned Country

The Culture Portal describes Kula and its surroundings as a geology of volcanic character; because eruptions spread lava flows across the area, it says the region was historically called Katakekaumene, the Burned Country. The landscape's first story is therefore not a scenic label but long-term geological change.

Cones, faults and lava traces

The official source names three intermittent phases of volcanism: Burgaz, Elekçitepe and Divlittepe. It describes cones arranged in line with the Gediz Graben across the area extending from Kula toward the west of Demirköprü Dam; this lets us read a single rock image at valley scale.

From natural monument to geopark

According to the source, volcanic formations over about 152 hectares were declared the Kula Fairy Chimneys Natural Monument in 2012 and lie within the wider Kula-Salihli UNESCO Global Geopark. Care needs to treat the cones not as isolated visitor objects but as one geological system.

A source date for current knowledge

The Culture Portal page was updated on 7 May 2026. This dossier will add later changes in nature-protection status, access or site use only through dated institutional publication, keeping geological knowledge distinct from momentary visitor information.

Linking geology to the cultural inventory

Taken together, Kula Volcanoes, Kula Geopark, Sardis and Aigai make visible how landform surrounds decisions of settlement, route and production. In the future inventory, cone, lava flow, trail and sensitive visitor point will be recorded with geological age, source and access notes rather than a historical period.

Connected stops

• Kula Jeoparkı
• Sardes
• Aigai

Sources

• Kültür Portalı · Kula Volkanları