Göreme open air museum

Göreme which have the old names of Korama, Matiana and Maccan is 10 km far away from the center of Nevsehir province. The valley created from volcanic rocks is famous with the chimney rocks resulting from the erosion made by the natural factors to these rocks and with the historical richness. It has been an important religious place together with the intensive emigration of the first Christians escaping from the pressure of the Roman soldiers. The population escaped from the pressures has made many abbeys, churches and houses in the volcanic rocks from the valley where they were able to hidden easily. In our days in Goreme are found Elmali Church, Saint Barbara Church, Carikli Church, Tokali Church and Hidden Church and all of these are Goreme Open Air Museums. In the churches there are scenes from the life of Jesus, descriptions of the saints who written the Bible and pictures of Saint Barbara and Saint Georgius.

How can you go: You can go to Goreme from Nevsehir province by roadway 13 km. Nevsehir is 670 km. far from Istanbul, 280 km. from Ankara, 750 km. from Izmir.

Because of its unique landscape, Cappadocia is ideal for mountain-biking. With its long-distance dirty roads & topography, you do not have to pedal for kilometers to see something attractive. Every year, at the end of June or July an international mountain bike festival takes action. Whether you are a professional or amateur, you are invited as well.

HACIBEKTAS FESTIVAL – 16 /18 August

Mystic, humanist, philosopher, Saint Haci Bektas Veli, the founder of the influential Bektasi sect of dervishes and the leader of an Islamic philosophy and social class in the 13th century. He had great impact on Anatolian humanism. His teachings become know as Bektasism. Haci Bektas Veli was the one who dedicated himself to the people, the rural society, thus serving as a promoter of Turkish language and literature. During the 3 days festival from 16th to 18th of August, he is recalled at his hometown Hacibektas.

AVANOS INTERNATIONAL TOURISM AND HANDICRAFTS FESTIVAL – Aug 31/ Sep 01

The old city of Avanos (called Venessa in the past) overlooks the longest river of Turkey: the Kizilirmak (Red River). The most famous historical feature of Avanos, which is still relevant and very visible today, is its production of earthenware pottery. The ceramic trade in this district and its countless pottery factories date right back to the Hittites, and the ceramic clay from the red silt of the Kizilirmak has always been used. The International Tourism and Handicrafts Festival is held in Avanos every year on August 31 – September 1.

WINE FESTIVAL – End of October

The mineral-laden volcanic soil is very fertile and Cappadocia is a prime agricultural region with many fruit orchards and vineyards. Every year in October an International Wine Festival is held in Urgup, the center of a successful wine producing region. Several small wineries in Cappadocia organize this wine tasting event.

GRAPE HARVEST FESTIVAL – Beginning of October

The traditional Urgup Grape Harvest Festival is held every year on 3-5 or 4-6 October. Urgup, is a lively tourist centre and has all the characteristics of the region. Besides this, it is the centre of an important grape and wine producing region of Central Anatolia.

MEVLANA COMMEMORATION CEREMONIES AND FESTIVAL – 10 / 17 December

Mevlana, who is also known as Rumi, was a philosopher and mystic of Islam, but not a Muslim of the orthodox type. His doctrine advocates unlimited tolerance, positive reasoning, goodness, charity and awareness through love. To him and to his disciples all religions are more or less truth. Looking with the same eye on Muslim, Jew and Christian alike, his peaceful and tolerant teaching has appealed to men of all sects and creeds. Every year during 10th and 17th of December in Konya, all the whirling dervishes perform sema which is part of the inspiration of Mevlana as well as of Turkish custom, history, beliefs and culture.

The best representative of the Aceramic Neolithic culture in the region is Asikli Hoyuk, in which excavations have been conducted since 1989. Asikli is a medium-sized settlement on the banks of the Melendiz River, which emerges from the slopes between the Hasan Dagi and Mt. Melendiz and makes its way northwest where carving out the famous canyon-shaped Ihlara Valley. At the present day, Asikli and its vicinity enjoy a continental climate. The economy of the region is based mainly on the cultivation of cereal crops, market gardening, viniculture and dairy products.

CAPPADOCIAN TABLETS OF KULTEPE / MOUND OF ASHES 1900 B.C.

The settlement mound here, known as Kultepe, is one of the largest in Central Anatolia, measuring 550 * 450 meters and 20 meters in height. The first excavation of Kultepe mound was carried out by the French scholar E. Chantre, using the methods of his time. This was followed by the excavations made in 1906 and 1925. Apart from 1952, these excavations have continued every summer up to the present day, and until 1980 were financed by Turkish Historical Society. The exciting finds uncovered here have thrown remarkable light on ancient Anatolian History and have been one of the focal points of world archaeological literature ever since.

PERIOD OF THE ASSYRIAN COLONIES 1900 B.C

Mesopotamia exerted economic and political power over central Anatolia before the arrival of the Assyrians. During the third millennium BC the Arkadian King Sargon from Mesopotamia advanced into the heart of Anatolia to protect merchants from his country.
The beginning of the second millennium was a prosperous time for Anatolia. The Assyrians had learned of this region’s riches and subsequently established trade centers called karums, meaning “port” or administrative center. Eventually at least thirteen karums were established as part of the Assyrians’ extensive network of commercial activities, which spread from the Aegean Sea to the Indus valley. Trade between the people of Anatolia and the Assyrian merchants continued for about 150 years. The “Cappadocian tablets” reveal that the Assyrians were experienced traders who maintained daily business correspondence with their capital, Asur. Other documents such as trade agreements, receipts, wills, and marriage contracts were also found among the clay tablets.
Kultepe, known in ancient times as Kanesh, was the most important karum. Before the karum was fully developed houses identical in plan to those later built in the karum were built on the eastern edges of Kanesh.

The karum was a separate town outside and below the walled city itself, which overlooked it from its hilltop site. Two archaeological levels (Kanesh karum I b and II) have been found in this densely occupied site. They have been subjected to close scientific examination, with the result that the architecture, materials and fittings of these houses are known in detail. The second level of the karum covered a wide area and consisted of building complexes closely spaced together.

THE HITTITES 18th to 12th CENTURIES B.C.

The entry of the Hittites into the sphere of scholarship and archaeological literature dates from the late nineteenth century when the Akkadian tablets at Tel-el-Amar in Egypt were deciphered, and when A.H. Sayce set about deciphering the pictographic inscriptions on stone discovered at Hama in Syria and identified them as the work of the Hittites, before the existence of Hittite remains in Anatolia was even guessed at Scholars and travelers extended their searches and discovered similar pictographic inscriptions. They made a deep impression on Cappadocia to whose ancient history knowing Hittite civilization and art is the key. The fascinating culture of the Hittites is at least as colorful as the rock churches of Cappadocia.

TABAL KINGDOM 11th CENTURY B.C.

In the mid-eight century BC the name Tabal begins to occur more frequently in Assyrian documents. The Tabalian rulers evidently tried to resist the Assyrians, but with little success. The exact extent of the powerful Tabalian kingdom which the Assyrians of the reign of Sargon II knew is unknown. Its inscriptions are largely located near Kayseri and Nevsehir, the most famous being the Sivasa, Topada, Kululu and Sultanhani inscriptions.

PERSIANS IN CAPPADOCIA 6th to 4th CENTURIES B.C.

Unlike Lycia, Lydia and many of the other ancient countries of Anatolia, Cappadocia was not named after a people. The name is thought to have derived from the ancient Persian word tukha or dukha, and to mean the Land of Beautiful Horses. The form Katpatuka appears in an inscription listing the countries which paid tribute to Persia under Darius I (522 – 486 BC) carved on the Behistun cliffs at the end of the sixth century BC. The horses of Cappadocia were indeed famous, and the both Assyrians and Persian empires received horses and mules in tribute from here.

ALEXANDER THE GREAT IN CAPPADOCIA MID-4th CENTURY B.C.

In the course of his campaign against the Persians, Alexander the Great advanced from Ankyra towards Cappadocia and, after conquering the territory south of the Halys (Kizilirmak), he appointed a Persian by the name of Sabiktas satrap of Cappadocia. After the death of Ariarathes, Cappadocia was ruled for some twenty years by Macedonian satraps. When, soon after this, Antigonus was defeated in the battle of Ipsus (301 BC), his territories in Asia Minor became subject to Lysimachus, but in a battle fought at Curupedion ( 281 BC ) the 80 year old Lysimachus was defeated by the 77 year old Seleucus Nicator, thus ending the Macedonnian rule in Cappadocia and establishing the Seleucid rule..

INDEPENDENT KINGDOM OF CAPPADOCIA 4th CENTURY B.C. to A.D. 17

After the death of Alexander an independent Cappadocian kingdom was established. During this period the history of the region was turbulent and characterized by numerous intrigues. The Ariarathes dynasty traditionally sought political alliances through marriages between powerful families and provincial kings. Cappadocia became a battleground for local power struggles as well as conflicts between the kingdom of Pontus (Black Sea) and the Roman Empire.
This period in the history of the Cappadocian kingdom was marked by a confused struggle power. The death of Ariarathes VIII left two candidates for the throne. One was Mithridates’ candidate. When Mithritade resorted to force to place his own candidate on the throne this aroused great discontent among the people of Cappadocia whereupon the Roman Senate intervened in opposition to both candidates, declaring that the administration of Cappadocia should be placed in the hands of the people. The struggle for political dominance in the region continued until Cappadocia became a Roman province in A.D. 17.

ROMANS IN CAPPADOCIA A.D. 17 to 4th CENTURY

In 20 BC Augustus transferred Armenia minor and Rough Ciliciato Archelaus. According to Strabo, Archelaus spent most of his time on the island of Elaiussa (Ayas, Erdemli) in Rough Cilicia. Here he founded the city of Elaiussa, which allowed him to use the epithet “Ktistes” (founder) on his coins. As an expression of his gratitude to Augustus he changed the name of the city to Sebaste, the Greek form of Augustus which possessed the additional meaning of “sacred”. Archelaus also founded a city bearing his own name (Archelais) (after the conversion of Cappadocia into a province Claudius transformed this city into a Roman colony). On the king’s death very shortly afterwards the kingdom of Cappadocia was officially transformed into a Roman province (Provincia Cappadocia) (17 AD). On assuming the status of a Roman province, Cappadocia began to be ruled by a governor (procurator) chosen from the Equestrian order.

After over three centuries of Roman rule over Cappadocia the region was inherited by the Eastern Roman Empire, which came into being with the partition of the empire in 395. Constantinus I (Constantine the Great) had declared Byzantium to be the eastern capital in 330, and the Western imperial line ended in 476, leaving the Eastern Roman Empire to outlive the West by nearly thousands years. This was what came to be known in modern times at the Byzantine Empire.

BYZANTINE PERIOD 4th to 15th CENTURIES

In 363 the Persians took the region east of the Euphrates, and in the fifth century incursions by the Huns and Isaurians caused havoc. Under the emperors Anastasius and Justinian walls were constructed around many towns in the region and existing walls repaired. Caesarea was completely rebuilt and the fortified cities of Mokissos and Kamuliani were founded, so creating a formidable defense system.
The Byzantine emperors and the local inhabitants decided to take measures against sudden attacks and thus devised a system of defense comprised of several elements: governing by “themes” an “optic warning system”, the construction of additional forts, a good network of military and trade roads, and underground cities.
The system of governing by “themes” provided for the distribution of land to generals, who were directly responsible to the emperor for protecting each “theme,” one of which was Cappadocia. The land remained under the control of a general who could act independently with regard to recruiting, commanding, and choosing appropriate defensive strategy. The “optic warning system” was established by placing fires and lanterns on the tops of designated hills and mountains in the provinces. This system relayed messages all the way to the Great Lighthouse in Constantinople so that the capital would be informed about the exact moment of the enemy’s attack. Many forts, castles, and watchtowers were placed at strategic positions such as passes and sources of water, and also linked the main towns. In addition to these defensive measures, the local inhabitants carved underground cities for their protection.

SELJUK’S IN CAPPADOCIA 9th to 13th CENTURIES

From the 9th century Anatolia witnessed the arrival of nomadic Turkish tribes from Central Asia, which originated in the Ural-Altai region and dispersed over vast areas from China to Europe.

Byzantines in the region, and relative security prevailed for the next fifty years during the period of Konstantinos Porphyrogennetos (945 – 959) and Konstantinos Doukas (900 – 1070). The overthrow of the iconoclasts with the help of the Cappadocian monasteries, which defended their icons with fierce desperation, played its part in maintaining peace. From the second half of the ninth century until 1071, Byzantine Cappadocia enjoyed a golden age, and most of the churches and frescoes of the region are from this period.

Then came the Seljuk Turks, pressing westwards from their empire in Iran. In 1057 the Turks attacked Malatya, and in 1059 Sivas, razing both cities. When they razed Kayseri in 1067 the Byzantine emperor Romanus the 4th made a last bid to save Cappadocia. In 1071 he arrived at the head of a huge army and marched eastwards to confront the Seljuk army at Malazgirt that same year. The Byzantines were defeated with heavy losses, and Cappadocia overrun by the Turks, never to be regained.

In 1071 during the battle of Malazgirt, which occurred in the eastern part of modern-day Turkey, the Selcuk leader Alp Arslan defeated the Byzantines, and thereafter the Selcuks gained undisputed control of Anatolian soil. The Seljuk Turks soon established their own centers of learning.
During the 11th century the Seljuks chose Iznik as their first capital but later moved to Konya after the Crusaders captured Iznik and gave the city to the Byzantines. During the next centuries Anatolia became a battleground for Seljuks, Crusaders on their way to the Holy Lands, and Byzantine armies.
During the reigns of Keyhusrev and Aladdin Keykubad in the 13th century, the Seljuks enjoyed a golden-age during which they reached both the Mediterranean and Black Seas where they built shipyards. They also constructed magnificent caravanserais, medreses (schools), and mosques throughout the empire. By the mid-13th century the Mongols started attacking various parts of the empire, and eventually they invaded all of Anatolia. Kayseri was captured and looted by the Mongols, under whose domination the Seljuks remained until 1302.
The Seljuk Empire was the first Turkish empire established on Anatolian soil. Although its rise and fall occurred in less than two centuries, this empire laid the foundations of Ottoman culture and art. The Seljuks brought with them unmistakable influences of the nomadic cultures of Central Asia and enriched and enhanced the history of central Anatolia.

The dining hall, the kitchen and some of its rooms located at the first floor and the collapsed chapel at the second floor are available for visit. The church located at the third floor (accessible via a tunnel) has a transversal dome, four pillars and three abscissas. The frescos of Jesus which are directly painted on the rocks are adorned with red adornments.

The church had been located in the Goreme Valley and is the oldest known rock church of the region.

Tokali Church

The church is made up of four separate sections; single nef Old Church, New Church, the church under the Old Church and the side chapel to the north of the new church. The old church was dated to be constructed to the beginnings of the 10th century. Although the old church is understood as the entrance section of the new church, the structure is original with its single nef, cradle vault structure. The depictions of the Saints, the Joyful Tiding, The Visit, The proof of the Virginity, the voyage to Beytüllahim, the birth, the worship of the three astrologers, the massacre of the innocent children, the escape to Egypt, the presentation of Jesus to the temple, the descent of Jesus to Hell, The ascend of Jesus to the heaven and similar depictions are located in the church.

The new church is planned as rectangular in width and has a simple cradle vault structure. Inside its nef of cradle vault, the cycle of Jesus is processed in chronological order with colors of blue and red are frequently used. The Lapis blue is the most important property distinguishing the Tokalı (Buckled) church from other churches.

The width wide nef contains depictions displaying the life of Saint Basil, depictions of various saints and mostly the miracles of Jesus. The church is dated to be constructed to the late 10th century and the early 11th century.

It is the most ancient rock church of the region and it consists of 4 places: The Old Church with the Single Neve, The New Church, The Church below the Old Church, The Side Chapel in the north of the New Church.

The Old Church dated to the beginning of the 10th century is in the form of the entrance place of the New Church today, however originally it was a single – nave building with cradle vault. Its abscissa has completely been destroyed during the addition of the New Church in the east of it. The scenes are located on the vault surface and on the upper part of the walls. The syclus including the life of Christ is divided into panels in the vault and the scenes start on the right wing and follow to the left wing.

The Scenes: In the middle of the vault the saint representations; in the right wing on the upper panel: the joyful tidings, the visit, the evidence of virginity, the journey to Beytüllahim, the birth; on the upper panel in the left wing: the worship of three astrologers, the slaughter of innocent children, the escape to Egypt, the introduction of Christ to the temple, the murder of Zekeriya; on the mid panel in the right wing: the follow of Elizabeth, the charging of Baptist Yahya, the soothsaying of Baptist Yahya, the meeting of Christ with Baptist Yahya, the baptism, the Kana wedding; on the mid panel in the left wing: the the wine miracle, the reproduction of the bread and the fish, the charging of the disciples, the recovery of the blind man, the resurrection of Lazarus; on the lower panel in the right wing: the entrance to Jerusalem, the last dinner, the betrayal, Christ in front of Platus; on the lower panel in the right wing: Christ on Golgotha way, Christ on a cross, the taking of Christ from cross, the burying of Christ, women in front of the empty grave, Christ’s going down to hell, Christ’s rising to the sky. Under this panel: saint representations; over the entrance: the conversion scene.

Yeni Tokalı is longitudinally planned and has a simple cradle vault. There are four columns connected to each other in the eastern wall, a corridor risen behind the columns, the main absis and two supplementary absissae after the corridor. In the cradle vaulted nave, the syclus of Christ is represented in reddish and bluish colors in chronological order. The dark blue color is the most important feature distinguishing the Tokalı Church from the other churches.
In the longitudinal nave, the life of St. Basil, the representations of various saints and mostly scenes of the miracles of Christ are depicted. The Church is dated to the end of the 10th century and the beginning of the 11th century.

The Scenes: On the northern wing of the vault: the joyful tiding, the visit, the evidence of virginity, the birth and the worship of three astrologers; on the northern wall of the vault: the first dream of Yousef, the journey to Beytüllahim, the representation of eight saints in the niches below it, and at the lowest part: the call to Baptist Yahya, his being charged, the charging of the disciples, the Kana wedding; on the western wing: the escape to Egypt, the trial of Christ, Christ in temple when he was 12; at the centre of the vault: Christ’s rising to the sky and the charging of the disciples in the way of God; on the southern wing of the vault: the first diacons, the undefinable angels; below this: the saint representation in the niches; and at the lowest part: the return of the son of the rich man, the return of the daughter of Jairus, the resurrection of Lazarus, the entrance to Jerusalem and the last dinner; on the western wing: the washing of feet; on the main abscissa: Christ on a cross, the taking of Christ from the cross, women in front of an empty grave, Christ’s going down to hell; on the front side of the main absis: the first diacons, Christ and the woman from Samarra, Mary and child Christ in the niche; on the northern abscissa the appearance of the Prophets and the angels.

Elmali Church (Goreme)

Under the preserved frescos, geometric decorations from the icono-classic period had been revealed. According to those decorations, it is understood that the church had been constructed in the 2nd period. The frescos depict the portions of the life of Jesus. The colors used in the church are blue, red and its shades, brown, yellow and white and the details of the clothing in the frescos are stated.

The baptism of Jesus, The crucifixion, the alteration, the last supper, the resurrection of Lazarus, the ascend of Jesus to the skies are the major themes depicted at the frescos. The architectural elements such as pillars and pillar titles display the depictions of the saints stated in the bible and some of the prophets. The church attains the name from the apple a garden surrounding the church and the frescos inside the church is dated to the 2nd century.

It has nine domes, four columns, a closed Greek cross plan and three absissae. Its main entrance is from the southern direction, and the entrance can be made through a tunnel opened from the northern side.

The first ornaments of the Elmalı Church are, as in the case of the St. Basil and the St. Barbara Churches, the cross and geometric motifs painted directly on the wall with red paint. The church is dated to the mid of the 11th century and beginning of the 12th century.

The Scenes: the Deesis, the birth, the worship of three astrologers, the baptism, the resurrection of Lazarus, the conversion, the entrance to Jerusalem, the last dinner, the betrayal, Christ on Golgota way, Christ on the cross, the burying of Christ, Christ’s going down to hell, the women beside the empty grave, Christ going to the sky and the saints. Furthermore, the hospitality of the Prophet Abraham and the burning three Jewish Young men in oven taken from the Torah are pictured.

St. Basil Chapel (Goreme) by redxdress

The church is dated to the 11th century. A portrait of Jesus, depictions of Mother Mary and Child Jesus, depiction of Saint Theodore, depictions of Saint George fighting a dragon while riding a horse could be seen inside the church.

It is at the entrance of the Goreme Open – Air Museum. There are grave hollows in the nartex which is separated with columns. The nave has a longitudinal cradle vault, a rectangular plan and three absissae. There are three absissae on the left long face of the rectangular nave. One of the abscissae is large and the other two are small. The church is dated to the 11th century.

The Scenes: On the main abscissa: the portrait of Christ, on the front face: Mary and child Christ;on the northern wall: St. Theodore on a horse; on the southern wall: St. George fighting with the dragon on horse, and St. Demetrius and 2 saints are painted.

The church contains the depictions of the Saints that are respected in Cappadoccia and is dated to be constructed to the 11th century. Some of the depictions in the frescos are as follows: Jesus holding a bible and accompanied by the Bani of the Church, Saint Onesimus, Saint George and saint Theodore battling the dragon, Saint Oniphrius naked, with long hair and holding a palm tree in front.

Its entrance is from the north. The main place has a longitudinal rectangular plan. It is cradle vaulted and the additional place in the south has a flat ceiling. Its abscissa is carved in the left long wall and the church was abandoned before the completion.

On both sides of the church vault, the pictures of respected saints of Cappadocia can be found. The church is dated to the 11th century.

The Scenes: Just across the entrance, Christ holding the Bible in his left hand; in the east of the vault: St. Onesimus, St. George fighting with the dragon, St. Theodore, Helena holding the real cross and her son Konstantin; in the west of the vault: naked St. Onuphrius with long hair and a palm tree in front of him, beside him St. Thomas in a blessing position and St. Basil with a book in his hand are pictured.

In the 1st century AD, people called “Hermits”, who devoted themselves to religion and withdrew to solitude, lived in Egyptian deserts. The last hermit St. Paphnutius, went to Egyptian deserts in order to learn the life and life style of the hermist in the 4th century AD and met St. Onuphrius who gave his name to the church. St. Paphnutius was around when St. Onuphrius was dying. Because, St. Onuphrius was the best example of virtue and overcoming fleshy cravings. In the pictures, St. Onuphrius is naked, has long hair and a huge body and stands in front of a palm tree.