Dead City Kaya Kay: Music and Creative Reflections on Boris Shumsky

Dead City Kaya Kay is a mystical abandoned place in the mountains of Turkey that inspires music, creative interpretations, and reflections on history. Once a thriving settlement, it now lies in picturesque ruins, preserving a unique sense of romanticism that continues to captivate travelers. Known for its tragic past and sometimes eerie atmosphere, Kaya Kay still draws and inspires visitors. This article, for instance, is accompanied by a musical interpretation by composer Boris Shumsky.

Kaya Kay, a ghost town nestled in the hills of Turkey, is a mystical and sometimes eerie place with a rich history. Once a thriving settlement, it now stands abandoned, its ruins preserving lyrical beauty and memories that inspire music and a poetic mood. This mysterious site attracts historians, artists, and travelers seeking a unique atmosphere and captivating stories.

One of the most memorable and highly recommended hiking tours by me!

I emphasize – hiking! After all, this is the only way to fully absorb the magical picture of the Dead City, into which you plunge your gaze, barely getting off the mountain trail…

The ghost of Kaya Kay lives on a picturesque hilly slope, where from the nearby pastures you can hear the bells of domestic goats, which makes the impression even more piercingly sad.

After a fabulously bizarre mountain trail, as a reward for your efforts and the breakfast you missed at the hotel, the fantastic remains of the Greek city of Carmelesos will suddenly open up to you.

The ghost town of Kaya Kay – the history and tragedy of Carmelesos

Approximately 1400 AD. I will leave aside the sad story of mass ethnic persecution after the First World War and the earthquakes in the 50s.

About 3,000 residential buildings, monasteries, churches and chapels, several pharmacies and one school, that is, everything that was under the inexorable influence of time without careful human care, has now become an absolutely unique place for tourist pilgrimage.

While state structures plan to restore this object and make it a symbol of friendship between Turkey and Greece, a curious and caring tourist has a unique opportunity to immerse himself in the picturesque atmosphere of desolation, walk along the narrow stone streets against the backdrop of the mountain landscape and, turning on his imagination, revive this long-abandoned city…

Melody of the Dead City

And now, a delicious highlight – the video! Watch and feel everything for yourself!

Thanks to authentic photographs and unique original music by composer Boris Shumsky, a feeling of real presence in that world many centuries ago is created.

Living pictures of history Kaya Kay

To the enchanting original music of Boris Shumsky, the imagination breathes life into the past: one has only to close one’s eyes – and the streets are filled with people, the space comes to life with the hum of voices, children’s laughter, the chirping of birds and the distant sound of the surf…

Pictures from the past pass before the inner vision – battles of thousands of troops; magnificent celebrations in honor of the coronation of the next ruler; behind-the-scenes intrigues and conspiracies; secret meetings of lovers in groves; serenades and poems aloud dedicated to Love…

Birth and death, grief and joy, tears of the elderly and the carefree laughter of a child… all this is the traces of a vanished world, the silent memory of generations.

If you are interested in more unique stories about unusual cities? Read our article on Longyearbyen, the northernmost settlement in the world, where eternal daylight, a ban on burials, and extreme Arctic living conditions make for a truly one-of-a-kind existence.

Boris Shumsky also explored lyrical themes in his work. One example is his piece “Feminine Mood” first performed in Cherkasy on March 8, 2017.