Monks Valley is the alternate name for Pasabag. It earned its name from the many monk refuges carved into the soft rock cones.
Monks Valley is only a few kilometres from Goreme in Cappadocia, Turkey.
St Simeon was one of the many monks to take refuge in Cappadocia, attracted by the solitude and isolation that the region provided, St Simon built his home 15 meters above the ground in one the fairy chimneys, descending only to collect the offerings of food and water that his followers brought to him. By the 4th century, Cappadocia was largely inhabited by monks and many of their excavated homes can be found in this valley. The monks were able to hollow out the soft volcanic tuff inside the pillars and create narrow staircases leading up to the cone-shaped shelters which they used as living quarters.