Mountains and plateaus characterise large parts of Turkey, interspersed with fertile valleys. The Pontic Mountains in the north and the Taurus Mountains in the south run in an east-west direction; to the east, the Armenian Highlands form the country’s eastern border. It is here, in north-eastern Anatolia, that the two most important rivers of the Middle East have their source: the Euphrates and the Tigris. Coasts, plains, rivers and valleys – the Turkish landscape boasts a diversity that few other countries can match.

The first photo shows an idyllic scene near Avanos, where a herd of cattle rests near a watering hole at the foot of the rock formations of Cappadocia.

Karasu, one of the two source rivers of the Euphrates, rises in the Anti-Taurus Mountains. A small, fragile-looking wooden bridge, forming a modest link between the two banks, defies the wild force of the water.

The Kızılırmak rises in Eastern Anatolia and, at 1,355 km, is the longest river that flows entirely within Turkey. It owes its name, ‘Red River’, to the iron-rich clay in its bed. It winds its way through multicoloured rock formations and supplies water to the vast plateaus, serving as a natural lifeline.

Behind this picturesque water landscape lies the story of a river diversion carried out in the 6th century to protect the historic city of Tarsus from flooding. The River Kydnos was diverted over a rocky plateau, and the waterfall formed where the terrain drops off. Over the centuries, the flowing water has carved out the small islets, as the bedrock consists of conglomerate.

On the southern shore of Lake Van, the island of Ahtamar/Akdamar rises from the world’s largest soda lake. It is home to the ruins of the Armenian monastery church of Ahtamar, whose origins date back to the 10th century. It was damaged during the Armenian Genocide of 1915 and was only reopened in 2007 – albeit solely as a cultural monument.

Mount Erciyes is a dormant volcano and, at 3,917 metres, the highest mountain in Central Anatolia. Its summit is covered in snow almost all year round. The photo shows the massive volcanic area with a view of the plateaus near Kayseri.