A museum in the Ürgüp district of Nevşehir is preserving Cappadocia’s centuries-old equestrian heritage, a tradition that has long earned the region the historical nickname “Land of Beautiful Horses.”
The Erhan Ayata Beautiful Horses Museum, which opened to visitors last year, has quickly become a point of interest for both art lovers and history enthusiasts. It has also emerged as a new stop for domestic and international tourists exploring Cappadocia.
The museum is regarded as a cultural memory space, featuring a wide-ranging collection that includes sculptures, paintings, photographs, traditional objects and contemporary artworks centered on horses. The exhibits present the role of the horse in human history from multiple artistic and historical perspectives.
Operated by the municipality in cooperation with the Cappadocia Area Presidency, the museum aims to contribute to the district’s cultural tourism while highlighting the region’s deep-rooted horse culture.
Ürgüp Mayor Ali Ertuğrul Bul said the region has had an equestrian culture for thousands of years, noting that the museum was developed after local officials recognized a gap in cultural infrastructure despite ongoing horse-related tourism activities, including the “Cappadocia Horse Festival.”
“We contacted Erhan Ayata, who lives in Bodrum and collects horse-related figures from auctions,” Bul said. “We decided to exhibit his 450-piece collection here. We quickly restored this historic building and now display 450 works related to horses and horsemanship.”
Bul added that a photographic exhibition by artist Zeynep Sezerman, featuring wild horses of the region, complements the museum’s overall concept.
“I spent my childhood here,” he said. “In the past, horses were essential in agriculture instead of tractors. Horses are well-suited to Cappadocia’s landscape and are environmentally friendly animals. They remain part of both tourism activities and daily life in the region.”
Museum director Ali Çuhadar said visitor interest has been strong since the opening, particularly among tourists curious about horses and their cultural history.
“Our visitors are people who are interested in horses, who want to hear their stories and who are curious about the collection pieces,” Çuhadar said. “We see that horses have stories just like us, and we try to tell them here. The collection includes items gathered from all over the world.”
Visitors also praised the museum’s concept.
Doğa Ölmez, a visitor interested in horseback riding, said she regularly joins rides through Cappadocia’s valleys when she has time. “One of the best parts of being young here is riding horses in the valleys on weekends,” she said. “This museum is a place where you can truly learn about horse culture. Horse lovers should definitely visit.”
Polish visitor Arthur Dvorak also expressed appreciation for the museum. “It offers a wonderful experience where you can see different kinds of horse-related art,” he said. “We enjoyed seeing how horses are represented through materials like fabric, glass and ceramics.”
