göreme open air museum

AWF, Erasmus, 2012 Winter Semester

Tourism Map Of Turkey

Göreme Open Air Museum

The Goreme Open-Air Museum resembles a vast monastic complex composed of scores of refectory monasteries placed side-by-side, each with its own fantastic church. It is obviously the first sight to be visited by any traveler in Cappadocia, standing as it does in the very center of the region with easy access from all directions.

It is only 15 minutes walk (1.5km, 1 mile) from Goreme village center. It contains the finest of the rock-cut churches, with beautiful frescoes (wall paintings) whose colors still retain all their original freshness. It also presents unique examples of rock hewn architecture and fresco technique. The Goreme Open Air Museum has been a member ofUNESCO World Heritage List since 1984, and was one of the first two UNESCO sites in Turkey.

In the 3rd century, priests with good character changed the region into a lively centre of Christian activity. In the 4th century Cappadocia became known as the land of the three saints; The Great St. Basil, Bishop of Kayseri; his brother St. Gregory of Nyssa, and St. Gregory of Nazianus. St. Basil founded small, secluded settlements far away from villages and towns.

Daily worship was carried out under the supervision of a preacher. These groups were not, however, privileged groups separated from the community like similar communities in Egypt and Syria. St. Basil is important in that he introduced worship within the community in the churches of Cappadocia. Göreme Open Air Museum is the place where this kind of religious education was started. The same model was then introduced in Soğanlı, Ihlara and Açıksaray.

The entrance fee to the museum is 15 TL per person. In summer, it is better to visit the museum early in the morning or late afternoon, instead of mid-day. There are many churches and chapels in Goreme Open Air Museum but the most important ones are ;

• St. Basil's Church (Basil Kilise)• Apple Church (Elmali Kilise)• St. Barbara Chapel (Azize Barbara Kilisesi)• Snake Church• Dark Church (Karanlik Kilise)• St. Catherine Chapel• Sandal Church (Çarikli Kilise)• Buckle Church (Tokali Kilise)

Churches & Chapels

Apple ChurchSt. Michael the Archangel holds a red orb

Apple ChurchThe crucifixion

Apple ChurchResurrection of Lazarus

Apple ChurchPainted arch in the Apple Church

Buckle Church (Tokali Kilise)

Buckle Church (Tokali Kilise)Crucifixion, early 10th century fresco in the Tokali Church

Buckle Church (Tokali Kilise)Holly Marry And Baby Jesus

Buckle Church (Tokali Kilise) From New Testament «Dinner»

Dark Church (Karanlik Kilise)Jesus Christ Fresco ,IC and XC Letters next to Jesus are the names of Jesus Christ.

Christ Pantocrator in the Dark ChurchPiegon

Dark Church (Karanlik Kilise)Crucifixion Fresco at Dark church

Dark Church (Karanlik Kilise)Nativity of Christ in the Dark Church

Sandal Church (Çarikli Kilise)left side Jesus and Angels & Transfiguration Fresco right side

Sandal Church (Çarikli Kilise)Holy Trinity

Snake Church (Yılanlı kilise)

Snake Church (Yılanlı kilise)Entrance Decoration

Snake Church (Yılanlı kilise)St. George slaying the dragon

St. Barbara Chapel (Azize Barbara Şapeli)

A giant locust symbolizing evil on one wall opposes two crosses on the other, while a rooster representing the devil is battled with bricks representing the Church. Other strange creatures and shapes are more difficult to interpret. The figurative frescoes include Christ Pantocrator, St. George and the Dragon, St Theodore, and St Barbara.

St. Basil's Church (Basil Kilise)Holy Marry and Baby Jesus «left side»

St. George slaying the dragon «right side»

St. Basil's Church (Basil Kilise)St. Theodore on Horse

St. Catherine Chapel (Azize Catherine Şapeli)

St. Catherine chapel is between Karanlık Church and Çarıklı Chuch and dated 11th century. Only noa section is decorated. According to the tale Saint Catherine saw Jesus Christ in her dream and when she woke up she saw the ring of Jesus on her finger. She lived in Egypt as a Hermit and tought christianity to many people. After she died she is announced as a saint by the Vatikan.

St. Catherine Chapel

St. Catherine Chapel (Azize Catherine Şapeli) Entrance

Nunnery

Nunnery

The 6-7 storey rock mass to the left of the museum entrance is known as «The Nunnery». The dining hall, kitchen and some rooms on the first floor, together with the ruined chapel on the second level, can still be visited. The church on the third storey, which can be reached through a tunnel, has a cruciform plan, a dome with four columns and three apses. The templon on the main apse is rarely found in Goreme's churches. Besides the fresco of Jesus, painted directly onto the rock, designs painted in red can also be seen.

Nunnery

The different levels of the monastery are connected by tunnels, and "millstone doors", such as those found in the underground cities, and were used to close off these tunnels in times of danger.

The remarkable rock-carved convent with six stories of tunnels, corridors, stairways and chambers. It housed as many as 300 nuns at any one time.

Nunnery

NunneryVine services available

Nunnery

NunneryDinner table for students

Location & Map View

Göreme Open Air Museum Info• Admission Fee: 15 TL

• Address: Müze yolu, Göreme/Nevşehir

• Internet Sites http://www.muze.gov.tr/goreme-en, http://www.muze.gov.tr/goreme-en

• Note: The internet sites contains “Virtual Tours”.

Göreme Open Air Museum Info• E – mail: goreme@muze.gov.tr

• Visiting Hours 08:00 – 17:00 (Ticket booths are closing 30 minutes or an

hour before the museum closing time.)

• Note: The museum has no restaurant or gift shop in the museum.

Its to protect the historical and natural enviroment. There are some gift shops at the Car parking area.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTİON

İsak UZUN, History of architecture and arts, AWF, Erasmus, 2012