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Nevşehir |
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Most
anciently known as Nyssa and Soandros, the city appears in older
Turkish sources as Muskara. The vilage gave to the empire, in the
Tulip Age of the early 18th century, a renowned vizier. Ibrahim
Pasha was an initiator of the movement toward westernization, and
in the village of his origin he built a mosque, medrese (Theological
college), boys' school, soup-kitchen, library and public bath. He
also built a han {caravanserai or travellers' inn) and repaired
the citadel. And he ensured a viably numerous population by
settling several clans of Turcomans in the immediate area.
It
was this last step that gave to the city its present name -- Nevşehir,
the New City In 1954 it was made governing seat of a province,
which besides the works of Ibrahim Pasha boasts a 12th-century
Seljuk fortress, the Kaya Mosque dating from 1715, the Beylik Han
from 1726, ana several fountains. |
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Hacıbektaş |
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Hadji
Bektas Veli, who is thought to have been born in Khorasan in 1219,
studied in the religious order of Ahmet Yesevi before coming to
Anatolia as a missionary of the order. He settled in Sulucakaraören
where his firm, steadfast character before long elevated him to a
position of respect and leadership. The philosophy he espoused is
at the heart of the Bektashi order - love of man, tolerance,
restraint of passion. The philosophy has many adherents among the
Turks of Anatolia today, and was the official religion of the
Janissaries, the palace troops in Ottoman times. It was widely
embraced in the Balkans, particularly in Yugoslavia and Albania.
The
name of Sulucakaraören has been changed to Haci Bektas. With the
advent of rhe Republic the dergah (cloister) was converted to a
museum.
Each year on the 16th of August the town of Haci Bektas is the
scene of colorful festivities and ceremonies honoring this
spiritual leader.
HACI
BEKTASH AND THE BEKTASHI ORDER
The
life of Haci (Hadji) Bektash Veil is known to us only
through legend. It would seem that his true name
was Mehmet and that he was born circa 1219 in
Khorasan. It is said that at an early age he studied with
Sheik Lokman Perende, an Ahmet Yesevi dervish,
and that he soon distinguished himself among
the novices of Khorasan. With Ahmet Yesevi we
see an attempt to reconcile ancient Turkish usages with
the precepts of Islam. Finally, Hadji Bektash
set out as a dervish of this persuasion. He passed
through the Negev and reached Mecca, slopping there three
years before continuing on to Medina.
The
first contact which the Moslems had with Rome came
in Asia Minor, which for this reason they called
Rum diyarı or Land of the Romans. Thus the Seljuk
sultans in Anatolia were the Rum sultans.
Hadji
Bektash, guided by whatever inner light, came to
this land of "Rum" intending to establish some unity
among the peoples of various faith dwelling here.
He
settled in the village of Sulucakarahöyük, today's Hacıbektas.
A small cave beneath a rock on a hillside
above the village is said to have been where he retired to fast
and meditate. The site of his tomb had been regarded as
holy even since earlier times. Orthodox Christians, in fact, knew
it as the tomb of a minor saint.
It
is thought that Hadji Bektash Veli died at the age of
about sixty, somewhere around the year 1270. During
his lifetime, that is to say in the 13th century, the
Seljuk rulers were tolerant of all creeds. Traces are thus found
of many diverse beliefs: Christianity with
its sects, Islam, Judaism, Zoroastrianism, even idol worship and
shamanism. Amid such a welter of faiths, it became the goal
of certain Turkish thinkers to
foster tolerance and bring man
closer to man in a spirit of love and brotherhood.
Thanks to this effort the Turks in Anatolia were able to battle on better than equal terms to op pose Byzantium and
the Crusades, and found the strength ultimately to
withstand even the Mongol invasions.
Jelaleddin Rumi in Konya, known as Mevlana, and Hadji Bektash on
the banks of the Kızılırmak,
were two leaders who departed from Khorasan to preach in
Anatolia in this cause of unity.
The
esteem enjoyed by Hadji Bektash in his lifetime took
the form, upon his death, of a religious order
named after him. In the 16th century the task of systematizing and
expanding the order fell to Balım Sultan. Bektashism was the
official creed of the Janissaries, the renowned elite corps of the
Ottoman army. In rural Anatolia the sect gained followers among
the Turcomans, and had an influence in lands as remote as Albania,
Yugoslavia and Egypt.
To
the Bektashi, the number four is sacred. The elements earth, air,
fire and water, recognized since Pythagoras, here become four
gateways or pathways -- the Sheria, the Order, the Art or Skill,
and the Truth. The number three also has significance, standing
for Allah, Mohammed, and Ali.
Among
the Bektashis great reverence is paid to a line of twelve imams or
divines, beginning with Ali and ending with Mohammed Mehdi. Hence
the tall red cylindrical caps worn by the dervishes are in twelve
segments. The round center at the peak represents God, the
flutings the paths of truth, or in other words the order, and the
segments the twelve imams who have shown the way.
Around
their necks devotees of Bektashism wear a twelve-pointed onyx star
they call the stone of submission. In fact onyx, which is rather
plentiful in the region, is locally called the Hadji Bektash stone.
In
the Bektashi creed the human being is paramount and there is
strict equality between the sexes. Fire is never "lit"
or "extinguished," always "awakened" or "covered
over." And the Bektashi is he who governs his hands, his
tongue and his desire, rather than being governed by them.
Since
the 13th century, a number of folk poets espousing these beliefs
have expressed the love of
man in their works. Foremost among them is Yunus Emre, a
contemporary of Hadji Bektash who was an early champion of
humanism.
| Come,
let us all be friends for once, |
What
Yunus says to you is clear, |
| Let
us make life easy on us; |
Its
meaning is in your heart's ear: |
| Let
us be lovers and loved ones, |
We
should all live the good life here, |
| The
earth shall be left to no one. |
Because
nobody will live on." |
With
the advent of the Republic the cloisters were shut down and the
religious orders banned. Today the Hadji Bektash cloister is a
museum open to the public. It consists of buildings that enclose
three lengthwise courtyards running from east to west. In the
first courtyard we find the laundry room and bath. The second is a
colonnaded space with a pool in the center, guest quarters and a
larder on the left as you enter, and on the right a lion fountain,
kitchen and small mosque.
The
third courtyard houses the quarters of Hadji Bektash Veli himself,
including the sage's tomb. Stairs lead downward to it from the
three-arched exedra. At the entrance are the sarcophagi of the
Bektash elders. To the right of a narrow domed area is a
meditation chamber, to the left a small mosque. The ensuing large
space is called the "Square of the Forty."
There
are two other tombs in the third courtyard, belonging to Güvenç
Abdal and Balim Sultan. Done in classical Seljuk style, with a
marble entrance, the tomb of Hadji Bektash lies to the right of
this square. |
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Gülşehir |
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An
ancient settlement on the banks of the Kızılırmak, Gülşehir
is noted for nearby Hittite inscriptions in rock. A relief carving
of Zeus is at Gökçetoprak.
The
Karavezir (Black Vizier) complex of buildings in the Ottoman style
of 1779 includes a mosque, medrese (theological college) and a
fountain. The mosque is in two colors of stone topped by a
leadroofed dome which rests on four arches over a square. At the
corners are supporting, cupolaed towers. |
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Açıksaray |
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Three
km. from Gülsehir on the road to Nevsehir there is a large
formation of rocks on the right. The rock
has been carved out in double and triple tiers to
create a monastery. Chapels, refectories, monks' cells
and other volumes are arranged in tiers divided by the
thinnest of ceiling-floors. The exteriors are decorated, and
enriched with false arcades reminiscent
of more ordinary architectural endeavor. |
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Uçhisar |
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Travelling
from Nevsehir to Göreme the first stop, after
10 km., is Uçhisar. This is the highest point in the
whole region, visible from miles around and, conversely,
affording a magnificent view for those willing to climb the
stairway. This towering formation swarms
with hollowed-out dwellings which were occupied until the
threat of earthquake forced their evacuation. |
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Behind
Uçhisar |
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A
paved road leading from Nevşehir in the direction of Göreme
describes a sweeping curve to carry one east of Uçhisar. This
provides an opportunity to see the
great rock from a distance in all its imposing might.
There are also stalagmitelike formations into which
were hewn warrens and cells put to various uses
in former times. |
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The
Uçhisar and Avcılar Valleys
These
valleys, to the right of the 2.5-km. road leading
from Uçhisar to Göreme, are extraordinary geological
displays. One stops at the midway point of the
road between the two towns and takes a 200-meter walk
through a vineyard to reach this spectacle,
which is amply viewed from the lookout point above
the valley. For those with more time, the approach from Göreme
via the Uzundere and Avcılar valleys
is highly recommended |
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The
Town of Göreme |
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Formerly
this was the village of Avcılar, but town status
changed the name to Göreme. It is one of the few
settlements among the fairy chimneys, with a population of 2,000
and small hotels and guest houses for the traveler.
Interest
in the town and its environs will focus on the stillinhabited
fairy chimneys, the valleys of Uzundere and Avcilar stretching to
the north, and the piece of
country called Aydınlı.
Avcılar
was settled in the pre-Christian era. A number
of tombs were to be found with Roman architectural features.
These tombs with their memorial columns
in exteriors on the rock face that still draw our attention
were in later times put to other uses. Wellknown
churches in the vicinity are the Orta Mahalle, Durmus
Kadir, Yusuf Koç and Bezirhane. Within the town, one of
the more interesting buildings is a konak
or mansion from Ottoman times. |
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The
Church of Yusuf Koç |
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200
meters north of a stopping, place near the village
of Avcılar as one travels toward Uçhisar, the Yusuf Koç Church
stands on a plot of privately owned
land. Closed for a long time as a dovecote, it has only
been open to visitors for the past few years.
It is cruciform with a double apse. The frescoes are well
preserved although the pillars have crumbled. |
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Görkün
Deresi – Zemi Deresi |
|
The
road from Avcılar to the Göreme Open-Air Museum leads canyonlike
through masses of fairy chimneys
to finally reach open ground. Some 150 meters
beyond the road, and perpendicular to it, there
is a runoff bed which in the dry season becomes
a vineyard. Entering
this runoff bed to the right, one walks through
lush verdure and comes upon a series of valleys whose skyreaching
formations are reminiscent
of great stalagmites. Before
long the road forks. The lefthand path is that of
Zemi Creek and soon leads to the El Nazar Church.
Following the righthand path will require more
time, but the trip down this valley, named Görkün
Deresi (Görkün Creek) is well worth the effort. The stalagmitelike formations seem like the soil's
monument to itself. |
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The
Göreme Open Air Museum |
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At
the second kilometer, the road from Göreme (Avcılar)
to Ortahisar and Ürgüp climbs a switchback to the
famous Open Air Museum. Here, clustered within a relatively
small compass, are numerous monasteries and some of the most
fascinating churches of the region, deemed worthy of inclusion and protection in a
national museum. Within
its precincts are 15 churches large and small, seven
refectories, and various tombs and cellars including wine
cellars. Some of the outlying churches are
also under museum jurisdiction. Currently,
photogrametric techniques are being systematically
applied in an effort to preserve the churches:
the restoration of the Tokalı and Karanlık churches
has in fact been completed. These
churches-in-the-rock, embracing every conceivable
type of architecture, whether flat-ceilinged, broad-
or slender-vaulted, single- or treble-apsed, make
Goreme a region that well deserves the status of museum. In
addition to paintings which evoke the age of iconoclasm,
there is subject matter reflecting a
wide range of provincial styles during more than half
a millenium, from the 5th to the 12th centuries.
Göreme
Valley is a revel of geological formations and all-but-countless
monasteries and churches. The
rocks that rise at the entrance to the valley, on the
left, are known locally as "Kaledibi," or foot of the
citadel. Well rewarded is the visitor who climbs them and, from
the vantage points they afford, surveys
the Valley of the Swords beyond. In the course of
this climb he will come suddenly upon ruined churches
- a kind of bonus for the minimal effort spent.
When
Paul Lucas, a French traveller of the early 18th
century, wrote of having been to Cappadocia and
seen thousands of people who passed their lives
in dwellings hollowed out of bizarre cones, no one at the time was ready to believe him.
In
his second book of travels, published in 1718, Lucas reasserted
his claim but this time apologized for having
understated his case before. Actually, he said,
there were 200,000 caves.
In
the 19th century certain Christian missionary organizations
obtained concessions tram the Ottomans.
In 1820 the American Board opened a school for
boys in Talas near Kayseri. In 1826 the missionary
Gridley died while attempting to climb Mt. Erciyas.
In
1907 a Jesuit priest, Guillame de Jerphanion, visited
Cappadocia and was captivated by the churches
in the rock, to whose discovery, classification and cataloguing
he would devote his next thirty years. Experts
today may not be in complete agreement with
the views of de Jerphanion, but the tradition and
general classification he established are still observed
by scholars.
Places
of worship abound in the region-there are literally
thousands, over two hundred of them churches
adorned by mural paintings which deal with some one
hundred and fifty different subjects. Very few of the
churches can be dated with certainty, but usually a rough
estimate can be made based on general considerations
of style, resemblances to the churches
whose dates are known, vestments of the bishops,
and details of certain objects.
In
the Tavşanlı Church and the Church of St. John at
Güllüdere, the emperor Constantine is shown being
presented to Christ Prophirogenitos and Nicephor Phocas, thus
placing the date somewhere between
963 and 969. Because the paintings in these two churches are by
and large copies of those in the Tokali,
that church can in turn be dated. Again, it is presentations that
place the Direkli Church in Belisirma
around the year 1000 and St. Barbara's in Soganli
between 1006 and 1021. There is not much from the 111h or 12th
centuries, but from the 131h when
the Seljuks ruled there is the Kirk Şehit (Church
of the Forty Martyrs} dated 25 April, 1212, and
St. George's in Belisirma falling somewhere between
1283 and 1295. The latter includes a depiction
of the Emir Giagoupes wearing a turban and Seljuk
garb.
From
the iconoclastic period (726-843) and earlier there
is no recorded date for any of the churches. Only
the styles can guide us here. The preiconoclastic
artists made free use of Biblical and traditional
stories, so that despite the paucity of examples a clear
distinction can be made out in the subject
matter treated in these early churches. Those with
highly colorful, elaborate nonfigurative designs stem
without doubt from the iconoclastic movement, but it would be
hasty to draw the same conclusion where
crude geometric motifs and crosses have been done in plain red, or red and green. This type of embellishment was
applied in all periods when there
were no artists, to bless a newly hewnout church,
and represents simple folk art. Ultimately, as in the Elmalı and Tokalı, artists came along to cover
these designs with plaster and effect their own
paintings.
Following
the triumph of sacred images that marked the
end of iconoclasm, the Church decided to enforce
discipline and exercise discretion in this area-henceforward
subject matter was for the church fathers
to rule upon, the result being, as one might expect, stereotyping
and sameness. Generally,
it was faith more than talent that guided the brush. The aim was
to present believers with a kind
of illustrated storybook, and the vaults especially were used in
this fashion, with the narrative reading from left to right.
Apart
from such narratives we find the Old Testament
prophets, the saints and martyrs, the Emperor Constantine
and the Empress Helena bearing the true
cross to Jerusalem. All were the inexhaustible, unflagging
source of pictorial matter for these artists.
The
most popular saint is George, who is in fact the patron saint of
Cappadocia.
The iconography of the region includes, apart from the
four evangelists approved by Rome, certain apocryphal
materials rooted in Syrian tradition; and in some churches we find
scenes from the Apocalypse.
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The
Life of Christ is treated in three main parts: |
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Childhood: |
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The
Annunciation: Two
distinct scenes, by the well
or within by the spinning wheel as Gabriel announces
to Mary that she is with child. |
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The
Visitation: Mary
visits her cousin Elizabeth, mother
of John the Baptist. Elizabeth welcomes her with
open arms. |
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Joseph
Angered:
Joseph's wrath - a child for which he knows he
cannot be the father. |
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The
Trial by Water:
The priest gives Mary and Joseph
to drink of the water of truth. They are unharmed,
thus proving their innocence. |
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The
Journey to Bethlehem:
Mary upon a donkey, Joseph
walking behind as Joseph's son holds the reins. |
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The
Birth of Jesus:
Mary abed, the babe in the manger.
Both usually embellished. In another scene,
two wise women are bathing the infant. |
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The
Adoration of the Shepherds and Magi:
The babe has grown, and three kings --
young, middle-aged
and old, to symbolize the three ages of man -have
come from the east to adore him. In some cases
the three are shepherds. Their horses are tied
to a nearby tree. |
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The
Slaughter of Innocents: King
Herod seated on
his throne, on underling behind him. Mothers in lamentation
as Herod's men slaughter their infants. |
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Joseph's
Dream: Joseph
is visited in his dream by an
angel, who urges him to flee. |
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The
Flight into Egypt:
Similar to the journey to Bethlehem,
but here including the infant Jesus. Egypt is
personified by a woman with a flaming torch
who holds a door ajar. |
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The
Murder of Zachary:
Meanwhile Roman soldiers
attack and kill Elizabeth's husband before the temple
gates. Elizabeth flees to the mountains with her
child and hides in a cave. |
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Jesus
Presented at the Temple: Mary
presents her son to the priest Simeon. Joseph
has brought an
offering of two doves. |
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The
Working of Miracles:
These scenes include the
raising of Lazarus from the dead, the miracle of
the loaves and fishes, and the healing of the
blind. |
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The
Passion: |
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The
Return to Bethlehem:
With the spreading by children
of their garments beneath the horse's feet. |
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The
Last Supper: Judas
is absent from the table in all depictions.
Invariably there is a fish. |
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Judas'
Betrayal:
Judas embraces Jesus as soldiers
surround them with their spears. |
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The
Walk Up Calvary:
Christ bearing the cross up Calvary
with a rope at his neck. |
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The
Crucifixion: Christ
and the two thieves bound to
their crosses, John agonizing. |
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The
Descent From The Cross:
Nicomedes removes
the nails from Christ's feet. Joseph of
Arimathea
accepting the body. |
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The
Women at the Tomb: The
tomb is vacant. An angel
is perched on the sepulchre. |
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Resurrection
and the Harrowing of Hell:
Christ comes
to call Adam and Eve from their graves.
David
and Solomon are seen in the background.
Christ harrows
Hell. |
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The
Ascension:
Four winged angels carry Christ up
into Heaven, where he sits on a rainbow to
bless Mary
and the twelve apostles. |
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Certain
symbols recur in early churches of the region,
especially those hewn out before and
during the
Age of Iconoclasm. |
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Chief
among these is the fish, which stood for
the faithful
as well as being taken from "ichoye,"
which meant
"fish" but in Greek also forms
the first letters of the word
meaning "Jesus Christ son of the all-protecting
God." The fish as a sacred symbol is widely
encountered in Cappadocia. |
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Others
are: |
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The
Cock: In
the Zoroastrian religion and among the
Persians generally, the crowing of the cock is thought
to dispel evil spirits. A white cock brings good
luck. In Greek tradition the cock sacrificed in the
cult of death would guide spirits in the next world,
while according to the Christians it is a symbol of vigilance. |
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The
Hare: In
several religions the hare is the bringer
of occult or mystical tidings. It has also
symbolized love, sexuality and
fertility. During the 7th century its use as
food was banned by the Church. |
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The
Stag:
Among the most ancient Anatolian symbols.
The Hatti and the Hittites held it sacred. To
certain gods it was a steed to be ridden. In
Greco Roman
mythology it is one of the attributes of Zeus. Paintings
of Hacibektas depict him on a throne beneath
which there is a stag. He makes peace between
the lion and the stag. Christianity treated this
beast as a symbol of love, and increasingly it came to
represent Christ. |
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The
Lion:
Esteemed in the cult of Mithra. The sacred beast
to Hacibektaş; in the Bektasj cloisters water
gushes from a lion's mouth. |
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To
the Christians this animal represents the
evangelist Mark, and was used as a symbol in
earliest Christian
times. |
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The
Palm Tree: As
a tree whose leaves never shrivel
or fall, the palm stood for immortality and
paradise. On Christ's entry into Bethlehem the
way was strewn with palm fronds. The tree is
taken also as
a symbol of victory. |
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The
Peacock:
An ancient belief held that the peacock's
flesh was incorruptible: hence the bird came to
symbolize a return to life and this world. |
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The
Bull: Held
sacred since, the advent of agriculture.
At Catalhöyük there are a number of bull's heads
displayed in a chamber of worship from Neolithic
times; and it is between the horns of a bull
that the Hatti sundisk is held,
symbolizing the universe. The
animal was sacred to the cult of Osiris in Egypt
and to the Mittani whose influence was felt from
the east in Anatolia circa 1400 B.C. In
the Mithraic cult, the world was conceived of as budding forth into existence from a pool
of bull's blood. |
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The
Dove: A
fertility symbol associated with such goddesses
as Ishtar, Astarte and Aphrodite. It also stands
for meekness, peace, family bonds, and chastity.
In the Christian tradition the dove
generally represents
the souls of the saints and martyrs. In the New
Testament it symbolizes truth, the redemption of
man's sins by Christ, and sometimes Christ himself. |
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The
Vine: The
sacredness of the vine goes back to the
cult of Dionysus. As wine is equated with the blood
of Christ the vine has a place in this tradition,
too. It stands for eternal life and the redemption of sin. John
writes, "I am the vine, and you are my branches." |
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|
| Kızlar
Manastırı |
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The
tall rock formation encountered as one enters the
museum bears this name, meaning Monastery of
the Virgins (Nuns). It is hewn out in four tiers, of
which two are chapels. The
first chapel, on the uppermost level, has collapsed
leaving only a very small remnant. An external
stairway allows the visitor to stand close for observation.
The
second chapel is in the interior of the rock, and is
reached via a long passageway on the northernside.
Crossdomed with three apses, it has a beautifully
preserved templan. There is only one painting, which
depicts Christ. |
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|
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The
Nameless Chapel |
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This
chapel, to the visitor's right as he proceeds through
the museum, overlooks the valley. There are
three apses and rather squat vaults. Recesses in
the floor of the narthex mark graves. The
paintings seem rather hastily, or perhaps carelessly,
done. Naive images are framed on three walls,
while the apse has at its mouth the infant Jesus
with Mary, on the left Saint Demetrius and Saint George,
and on the right Saint Theodore. |
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Elmalı
Church |
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This
church basically incorporates the plan of the renowned
Haiga Sophia built in 6th-century Constantinople by the
architects Anthemius and Isodorus. A central
dome supported by four main pillars rises above
a nave which ends in an altar, and which is flanked
by two aisles divided from the nave by columns.
This splendid partitioning of space is encountered
often in Anatolia, in churches of varying size. The
central dome and cruciform plan of many churches
in the rock - Elmalı Church is one - are inspired
by the Byzantine tradition. Elmalı
is hollowed out of a protuberance in the cliff-side to the
south of the museum area. The original
access was from the valley, but with that caved in a tunnel
in the north wall now serves. |
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Elmalı
Church, literally "The Church of the Apple," may
have been named for the nearby apple tree, or because
the globe held by Gabriel as painted in the dome somehow
resembles that fruit. Though
parts of this church have crumbled away, it is
still beautifully embellished and one of the most worthwhile
to see in the Göreme region. It has been well
preserved partly because it was closed for many
years and used as a dovecote. Just
as in the Church of St. Barbara one level above,
the first decorative motifs effected in the Elmali were of a
folkart type involving crosses and geometric
figures in red. These are visible where the plaster has fallen away to reveal the surface of the
wall beneath.
The
paintings in the church are done on a 2-mm. layer of sand-and-straw
plaster which covers the
original folk motifs in red ochre. The range of colors is
very rich considering the earliness of the period. Two
similar churches in the area, Çarıklı and Karanlik (the
Dark) Church, have paintings whose subject matter and
style so closely resemble that of Elmalı that they must
have been done by the same artists. These
pictures were, in the Elmalı, painted in the 11th
century or possibly even earlier.
In
the central dome are portrayed Christ and, in the four
corners, the four evangelists with trumpets. The lefthand
dome presents the cross, that on the right the angels
of heaven, while in the west dome is depicted
the Assumption. The arch interiors have been embellished with pictures of the prophets, saints, and
certain greats of the early Church. The central apse
depicts the seated Christ Pantocrator
(ruler of the universe), while Biblical scenes Hiluminate
the arch pillars and other walls. |
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The
Church of St. Barbara |
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Entered
from the direction opposite that taken for the
Elmah, the Church of St. Barbara is crossdomed
with only two pillars, and has a cruciform nave.
Its name derives from the depiction of St. Barbara on one
wall. |
|
Yılanlı
Church |
|
The
ceiling vault of this small church is adorned with pictures
of Cappadocia's favorite saints. Depicted in the
long panel are Nicdamos, St. George and St. Theodore, and
Helena and Constantine holding the true
cross. Other pictures show St. Onophrios, Thamaros, and
Basil the Great.
An
L-shaped wall of rock extending westward from the
south end of the museum is home to a number of
monasteries. One may count eight churches and seven
refectories, plus grave slots, larders, wine cellars
and other rooms. The absence of any provision for
sleeping among all these refectories may indicate
that the monks lodged elsewhere, perhaps even
in the town, and foregathered in this cliffface for meals and to worship. |
|
Karanlık
Church |
|
A
short staircase leads to a platform, the entrance to a
monastery whose upper floor has collapsed. A wall
to the east, embellished with false arcades, presents
three doorways of which the leftmost opens onto
the refectory. The northernmost doorway leads by a winding
stairway
up to the narthex of Karanlık (The Dark) Church,
and a door at the east end of the narthex to the church
proper. This
is cruciform, domed with four columns. In all there
are six domes and a triple apse. There
are paintings everywhere, bearing a very close
resemblance to those in Goreme's Elmali and Çarıklı
churches. Here, however, thanks to the absence of light (save
for that which enters by a small window in the narthex), the
paintings are much better
preserved. Dating from the 13th century, all the frescoes
are intact, with restoration having added a finishing
touch in recent years.
Though
all the usual scenes from the Life of Christ are
depicted, architectural considerations made it impossible to
show them in order. They are thus scattered
about in the dome, the vault, the arcade and
other parts of the church. The
paintings, applied to lime plaster with an admixture of sand
and straw, are in a quite mature and detailed style more
indicative of the metropolitan Byzantine
school than of a provincial tradition.
The
deeply hollowed-out
central dome
depicts Christ
ringed with medallion paintings of the angels.
Noteworthy
among the Biblical scenes are the Annunciation,
the Journey to Bethlehem, the Baptism, the
Resurrection of Lazarus, the Transfiguration, the Last
Supper, Judas' Betrayal, and the Harrowing of Hell.
In
the same rock mass as the Karanlık Church, but below it and
entered from the west, there is an unnamed
chapel. One crosses the cruciform narthex to
enter, and finds a chapel in the form of a larger cross
with a dome.
The
whole east end is decorated with paintings, the unusually
large apse being graced with depictions of Christ,
St. Barbara, Helena and of Constantine holding
the true cross, all similar to those in the Yılanlı Church.
The iconostasis is intact. |
| Çarıklı
Church |
|
This
is the most northerly of the churches in the valley
massif. A laid path leads to the bottom of a metal staircase
installed in recent times, which must be followed
to see the church, as the former stone stairway
and narthex have collapsed.
Carıklı
is like St. Barbara's in having a two-columned
cruciform nave with four domes, but resembles the Elmalı
and Karanlık churches from the standpoint of its paintings.
Though badly damaged, the
pictures can be read with no gaps in the subject matter.
They are thought to have been done in the 13th
century, like those in the two sister churches. |
|
|
Tokalı
Church |
|
This
church is directly below the parking lot at the Göreme
Open Air Museum, on the road to Avcilar. A
narthex with five slender narrow vaults and a larger
nave with five capacious vaults make up the T-shaped plan
of this, the largest church in Cappadocia. Examination of the
structure has revealed that what
today appears as the narthex was originally the
nave of a single-apsed church with an entrance in front.
Later the apse was greatly widened to produce the volume we
see today. The new church is rounded off on the east end by
three apses, themselves
joined by a flat-ceilinged passageway and divided by a
series of pillared arches.
The
vault of the new church is divided in three by two
arches, while the side walls are decorated with false
arches and the north wing opens onto another chapel,
single-apsed. Another striking feature of
Tokalı
Church is the presence of another entire church,
in the form of a basilica, below the main one.
This subsidiary church is reached via a staircase.
Evidence
shows that in the nave of the old and new churches
the floor was at some time lowered about half
a meter from its original level.
|
The
Tokalı Church is the first in the Göreme region to
undergo restoration in the modern sense of the word. Apart from
what has completely fallen away, the
frescoes are in quite good condition. The
paintings in the old church are done on sand-and-straw
plaster some 10 mm. thick, with subject matter
typical of the early church period. At the center of
the vault a series of rosettes depict the early prophets. Below
these, three rows of paintings that read from left to right
unfold the Life of Christ: birth and
infancy (top row), the miracles (middle row), and the
Passion (lower row). On the side walls are portrayed
martyrs and founding fathers of the Church.
The old church is completely typical of early church design,
and was probably embellished at the beginning
of the 101h century. |
|
In
the later church, most likely done at the end of the
same century, fallen plaster reveals geometric folk
designs in red and green. In this church we find
a whole different spirit -- sophisticated handling of forms on a
dark blue background whose base is powdered lapis lazuli, and
greater space permitting closer
detail reminiscent of Byzantine miniatures. This
is not the product of a naive provincial school, nor was it all
painted at one go. An artist or artists steeped in the
metropolitan culture had time to do it in
gradual, careful stages.
One
of the loveliest in Göreme, 300 meters from the museum
proper on a slope behind the Tokalı Church
via a footpath. Where the slope overlooks the
Valley of the Swords there is a tunnel-like narrow
passageway directly to the church. The
architecture is unusual, incorporating a nave covered by two
narrow parallel vaults. The chancel and connecting apse are
higher than the nave, just as
in the Tokalı Church, but here they are divided off
by columns and arcades. Despite its intricate plan
the church is small, giving it an almost cozy, chapel-like feel.
Its paintings are another source of pleasure, with warm reds and
yellows contoured in black upon cool blue-gray backgrounds. One
saddening fact is that erosion has deeply gouged this church.
Follow
the streambed to the right of the Avcılar-Göreme
road and, on leaving it, go some 800 meters
further to arrive at a large rock in the form of a kind
of tent. This is one of the most interesting churches in he
whole Göreme region, called El Nazar.
Hewn from an isolated cone of rock, it is a cruciform
church with vaults as the three longer arms of the
cross, and a horse-shoe shaped apse. There are
tombs in the east wing, and a basement into which
the floor has in large part collapsed, while the east wing is in
complete ruins. Despite
these ravages of time, however, the paintings
on the ceiling are quite well preserved.
Executed
on a straw-and-lime plaster surface, these paintings
date from the 11th century. On the arches opening
onto the side vaults from beneath the central dome there is a
series of rosettes depicting Old Testament
prophets, and another portraying the saints.
The remaining surfaces are devoted to the Life
of Christ, from infancy through the miracles to the Passion.
This subject matter is in conformance with the style
Jerphanion terms archaic. The paintings in this church are the
handiwork of two artists,
the first of whom did the ceiling and one or two Bible
scenes, for example the Flight from Egypt. Flesh tones have been
painted on a light green background, with shadows and shading
left green, while full light is captured in white. Outlines are
done in red. The second artist worked on the west and
north wings, as well as the apse. In his work there is no green
background. The flesh tones are pinker, and eyes are outlined in
white. |
|
Saklı
Church |
|
Entering
the Göreme Valley one climbs a rough trail up
the righthand slopes to a plateau. Another 300 meters and a gradual descent begins to the next valley, also on the
right. Here one comes upon Saklı (The Hidden) Church. The
entrance was blocked off by a landside at least five
hundred years ago, and for all that time the church went
unused, practically unnoticed. Only in 1957
was it rediscovered. The architecture has roots
in the Mesopotamian tradition; the frescoes are
quite unusual.
The
central volume is divided in two by a pair of coin-Tins
and three arches. The western half is flatroofed,
while the eastern is covered by a broad vault.
Of the three apses at the eastern extremity of this half,
two have crumbled to become one.
The plan of Saklı Church may stem from the Mesopotamian
tradition. As the blues and greens have dissipated, it is a
monochrome red that now predominates. The style of painting
would seem to belong
to the 12th century. The flat roof is decorated with crosses and
geometric
motifs. The pictures are similar to those in the Church
of Meryem Ana (Mother Mary), but in the Saklı
there are more Bible scenes. The backgrounds
are, strikingly, scenes from Cappadocia.
The
stretch between Göreme and Cavuşin is full of fairyland
vistas impossible to describe. One may come
on foot following the streambed that leads from
beside the Avanos road.
A
dirt road through the village of Cavusin will bring you to a pair
of breathtaking valleys, Güllüdere and kızılçukur. |
|
Kılıçlar |
|
Between
Aktepe and Göreme Valley there is a valley
system - tiered, toothed rock formations in white tuff
- called the Valley of the Swords. Here
there is almost a dance of rock, fairy chimneys through
which run streamlets, tunnels, poetry of erosion.
At the entrance nearest Göreme there is also an
important church, built in a runoff bed. Known
as the Church of Swords, it is cruciform with a large dome set on
four columns. In the central of three
apses is an altar and seats for the clergy.
The
streambed which runs past Çavuşjn meets up, a
kilometer onward, with another that joins it from the
right, coming down in the process through two valleys,
Güllüdere and Kızılçukur. These can be conveniently
reached via the road from beside the mosque
in Cavuşjn. Güllüdere, where the only sound
is that of birds chirping and calling, is an ideal hermitage for
those so inclined by faith. And indeed, out of the spiring
rocks cells have been hewn for a "Stylite" type of
existence.
|
|
|
12
churches have also been hollowed out in Güllüdere
and Kızılçukur, where the rock formations are
unique. Most of these churches were done be fore the
iconoclastic movement, supporting the view that this was site of
the earliest Christian settle ments
that grew up around the Church of John the Baptist
in Cavuşin. The
hermits of Güllüdere, in accordance with the doctrine
of Basil the Great (330-379), withdrew from the
world "not as a retreat in the flesh, but to strengthen
the bonds of love which unite flesh and spirit."
They were heeding "the call of the caves and rocks which
awaited us." (Letter 223, 204) The
church at the narrowest point of the streambed is one of the most
interesting in the valley, consisting
of a flat-roofed nave and a large apse. The roof is
decorated on both sides with a great cross, in relief,
embellished with date trees. Only in the apse are
there paintings. The reliefs and frescoes are put at about the 9th
century. |
|
A
dirt road that turns off the Nevsehir-Avanos road some
3 km. from Avanos leads one to the Avanos-Goreme
road. North of this junction road lies Killik ve
Kaya Harmanı while south of it is Bağlıdere Valley, which
reaches to Uçhisar. These valleys teem with
fascinating rock formations. Baglıdere
Valley is one of those matchless sights which unfortunately cannot
be included in one-day tours.
For visitors with more time, the best approach is a path through
the vineyards, starling at the Uçhisar
exit from Göreme.
|
|
Çavuşin |
|
Çavuşjn
is 2 km. from Göreme and 4 km. from Avanos,
to the right of the road that links them. It is riddled
through and through, as one quickly perceives even from
afar. The site has been settled since ancient
times. An earthquake in the 1950s induced the people of the
village to move out onto level ground. In
the 60-meter-high façade one may descry the Church of the
Baptists, one of the oldest in the region.
This
is part of a façade visible from a point 200 meters
from the village of Cavuşin on the road to Avanos. As the narthex
and the original staircase have crumbled,
a metal stairway has been installed. From without one may see, as
remnants of the narthex, pictures of the arch angels Michael and
Gabriel.
This
church was made in the name of the Byzantine emperor Nicephor
Phocas. Though its plan is simple _
a single nave and vaults _ it has a certain grandeur,
and the frescoes are well preserved. The progression
of pictures is a naive repetition of that in the
Tokalı Church. In the apse a depiction of the Assumption
is ringed with medallions of the saints. In the rank below this we
find scenes from the Life of Christ.
A
steep cliffface that follows the road northward from
Çavuşin turns a corner after some 200 meters.
At this spot, locally known as Alibagı, is a group of fairy
chimneys remarkable for their height and distinctive shape.
Turning onto the Zelve road, one has on
the right an area called Cinnes with noteworthy rock formations.
On
the drive from Çavusin to Avanos there is a turnoff after the 1
st kilometer which leads through a narrow
draw. To the right, toward Aktepe, rise strikingly formed
cliffs, and once through the draw there is a small
niche, again on the right, an object lesson in the geomorphology
of fairy chimneys. In this tiny valley,
called Paşabagı or Keşişler, masses as yet only
partially divided, fused cones with double and triple
caps, isolated chimneys -- a wealth of forms --chart
the evolution in clearly delineated stages. Many of the fairy
chimneys here were used by hermits
for their retreat. Pasabagı, being readily accessible, is
frequently visited by tourist groups, toward whom the local
people are generous and welcoming. It should, however, be kept
in mind that much of what you see is private property.
Common care and courtesy should be observed,
particularly about stepping where crops have been planted. |
|
Paşabağı |
|
This
lovely roadside valley attracts numerous tourists
thanks to its intriguing fairy chimneys and the hermit
cells they contain. A three-capped chimney in the middle of
the valley was a retreat to the monk Simeon. It is hollowed out in
three levels. Unlike his namesake
in Syria, the famous St. Simeon Stylite who lived at the top of a column with only the sky for a roof and the
swarming air for shelter, this Simeon chose a ready-made
pillar in the landscape. A few steps
start one upward into this welllit chimney, and after that
notched toeholds on either side lend the needed
purchase. There is a chamber on the first floor,
with a further stairway leading to the next higher cell. What beds
and seats there are have all been carved in the chimney's stone.
At
ground level there is a chapel dedicated to St. Simeon.
Signs of admiration for the Stylite are much in evidence
throughout the Valley of the Hermits {Keşişler
Vadisi). A hundred meters east of the three-chimneyed rock
from which St. Simeon Chapel
is hewn, there is another hermit's cell, this one revealing an
epitaph: "Receive me, o grave, as you received the Stylite." |
|
Zelve |
|
A
private road takes one from the Göreme-Avanos highway 2
kilometers to the mouth of the Zelve Valley, which is a
three-pronged encroachment into the terrain.
What one visits today is more properly known
as Old Zelve. Next to the ticket office at the entrance
there is a shady spot to sit down and rest.
Zelve
was inhabited until 1950, when an earthquake caused enough damage
to convince the dwellers to move
the village a kilometer away to level ground that
was thought to be safer. One interesting feature is
an abrupt "excrscence" in an otherwise smooth mountain
called Aktepe (White Hill). The brood of fairy chimneys here tend to be small and multiheaded,
often of onion shape like the domes of Russia.
The
largest of these churches is the Üzümlu (Grape)
Church with its two naves. Unfortunately the
medallion crosses, vines, palm leaves and fish that
adorned it are badly battered.
This
is also the home of the Geyikli (Deer) Church. Zelve
was the scene of living human activity until the
moment of its evacuation, as witness the mill and the diminutive
minaret on its mesjit (small mosque). The latter is typical
of the region's minarets, modest and resembling a four-pillared
tower. |
|
|
Avanos |
|
|
|
|
A
small, charming town on the banks of the Kızılırmak,
Avanos was known to the Romans as Vanessa. Historical relics from the Hittites to the Byzantines
have been unearthed at Topaklı Hülük(Tumulus). The Alaaddin
Mosque dates from the 13th
century.
Avanos
is a hostel and shopping center to the immediate region. The
most famous handicraft is pottery,
but the carpets are also well known, and there are shops in
which onyx, called locally Hacıbektaş stone,
is shaped and sold.
The
recently created underground restaurant and discos
are a further attraction to many. Avanos is home to folk arts and
handicrafts, and visitors are welcome to observe as master potters shape
the pitchers, flasks and vases on their wheels.
For a trifle one buys earthenware molded exactly as it was
done thousands of years ago. While
the men of the region are at work in their potting
shops, the women are at home weaving carpets.
Avanos
is of course not alone in producing fine carpets:
the renowned Kayseri, Bunyan, Develi, Taşpinar
and Yahyalı carpets all are produced in Cappadocia. |
|
Özkonak |
|
|
Özkonak
is a small town 15 km. from Avanos behind
the idiş Mountains. A stream has sluiced deep into
the solt tuff to divide the town in three. Hewnout
dwellings punctuate the rockface all along the stream,
and there are also caves.
One
of the most interesting discoveries at Özkonak has
been a recent one. It is an underground city, now
electrically lit and open to the public. How many levels there are
to this city is not yet known. |
|
|
Devrent
valley |
|
|
Halfway
between Avanos and Ürgüp a valley bisects
the road. Known locally as Devrent, it is also called
the Pink Valley {Pembe Vadi) or the Valley of Fairy
Chimneys (Peribacaları Vadisi}. It can be enjoyed from the
roadside or entered on fool. No settlement
has ever been established here; hence the fairy
chimneys are as nature made them, untouched.
It
is a special experience to wander through the Devrent Valley and
climb its fairychimneyed hillsides. There seem to be flocks and
herds everywhere,
frozen in stone. With a little effort of imagination
a mass of rock may suddenly become a giant Turkey, or, from a
slightly different angle and with a certain
squint, loom forth as a dinosaur ready to plod the earth again.
Another
slope, and you find a herd of seals, sunning themselves
on shore while a fawn or rabbit snatches
a moment of trembling sleep. There are hands, fingers
raised to demand attention. In this valley, nature has
turned sculptor with a human bent.
|
|
|
|
Ürgüp |
|
Ürgüp
is one of the major towns in Cappadocia of the
Rocks, 20 km. from Nevsehir by a well-surfaced road. Anciently known as Assiana, under the Seljuks
it was called Başhisar. The town, with a population
of around seven thousand, does a lively trade in carpets
and handicrafts, plus offering a host of motels and hotels to the
traveller. There is also an official tourist information office.
In
Seljuk and Ottoman times Ürgüp thrived, with a way
of life based mainly on viniculture and the growing
of fruit. There
are in Ürgüp homes which have been hewn out
of rock. At the same time, those built up from stone
blocks are highly attractive and practical, One of the latter type
has been opened by the Ministry of Culture
and Tourism as a specially furnished museum.
The
vizier Ibrahim Pasha of Nevsehir had 10 fountains
built in Ürgüp during his reign.
Atop the highest hill in
Ürgüp rises the tomb of Kilidje Arslan. Shemseddin
Sami in his encyclopedic work "Kiamus-ul
Aalam" writes that 19th-century Ürgüp could boast of 70
mosques, five churches and 11 libraries.
Ürgüp
enjoys a library tradition that is quite old. In 1851
a benefactor close to palace circles, Tahsin Agha, donated 842
volumes to the city. This donation
seeded the collection of the present-day library, which has a
mobile branch to provide outlying villages with reading matter.
Urgüp is located conveniently near many of the fairy chimney
valleys. The clump of capped chimneys one
kilometer from town on the way to Nevşehir is probably
the most photographed of all, and has come
to be seen as a symbol of Cappadocia. On sale
at this spot are takehome fairy chimneys chiseled
from pumice. |
|
|
|
|
Yeşiöz
& Karain |
|
Turn
right 8.5 km. from Urgüp on the highway to Kayseri.
From here it is 2 km. to Karacaviran and 6
km. further to Yesjlöz, the village in which stands Tagar
Church, one of the most fascinating in the entire region.
The road from the village to the church winds northwest and up a
hill.
Dedicated
to St. Theodore and built in the form of a T, the church boasts a
large apse and a gallery beneath a transverse dome that rests on
pendentives. In this latter
respect it is unique in all of Cappadocia. With the
collapse of the dome some time in the past a
covering was devised to guard the church from weather. Thus
the paintings within are in relatively good
condition.
The
west nave is unembellished; it is evident that part
of it collapsed while under construction. The arches
bear medallion portraits, the picture of Christ in
the apse also being of the medallion type. These paintings
date from the 11th and 13th centuries. The two individual
styles show that two artists produced the
work. |
|
Hallaçdere |
|
Five
km. from Ürgüp on the road to Nevşehir one turns
left to find a streambed called Hallaçdere. Indeed, the
soft tuff rocks tumbled helterskelter do look like fluffed cotton
from a mattress, which is what
"hallaç" means. The
Hallaç Monastery
is typical in the grouping of its units
around a rectangular courtyard. The two chap els, one a basilica
and the other crossdomed, are
classified
as 11th-century. They are unembellished apart
from very simple line patterns and certain figures that stand out
in relief.
When
the abandoned monastery became a dovecote,
local whimsy outlined the holes in green and black. |
|
Ortahisar |
|
The
town of Ortahisar lies wrapped around a looming
tower of rock visible for miles around. As a natural citadel, the
rock had dwellings hewn into it in early
times. A stairway leads to the top and a breathtaking
view of the surrounding countryside. Provision
is made for the shopper at various places around
the base. The
real destination at Ortahisar is the hinder side, which
can only be seen after a walk through the town, down to a
stream and across a stone bridge, then partway up the slope on
the other side.
There
is fabulous, unexpected loot lying cached away
in Ortahisarn. Every one of the nearby valleys is
riddled with hewn-out caves, cool and damp and quiet no matter how the sun beats down outside. They
hold store upon store of fruit all summer, even citruses
year long which the Mediterranean sees for a few brief winter
months only.
|
|
|
Cambazlı
Church |
|
This
church is on privately-owned land in a district of Ortahisar
called Karşı Mahalle. It is cross-domed, with
two pillars and three apses. The
paintings of the Annunciation and the Visitation, both
on the south side, are well preserved. |
|
Aktepe,
Kızılçukur |
|
Just
opposite Ortahisar a 2-km. dirt road branches off
from the Ürgüp-Nevşehir highway and takes you to the
foot of Aktepe (White Hill). This spot is especially fine for
watching the sunrise or sunset. You may
climb without much strain to the top, or follow a path on the left
which leads to stunning scenery after a walk of two or three
kilometers. |
|
The
village of ibrahim pasha |
|
West
of Ortahisar on the slopes of Balkan Deresi lies the village of
Ibrahim Pasha, with its curious small
stone houses. It was named for a prominent Ottoman
vizier who hailed from Nevşehir. In
the village is a diminutive church which, unfortunately,
is all but impossible of access due to the blocked-up
entrance - a shame, as the paintings on
the ceiling are handsomely executed. The village is full of fine public architecture. |
|
Pancarcık
church |
|
In
use up until the 20th century, this church is a rarity
in having a flat ceiling. |
|
Tavşanlı
church |
|
This
church is south of Ortahisar, difficult to locale without
a guide. It is a small but interesting structure with a vault and
single apse, embellished in the archaic
style. |
|
The
Üzengi Valley |
|
Two
kilometers south of Ürgüp the Üzengi, a small river,
winds through a cool valley much favored by the
populace of Ürgüp for outings. The stream, even in summer,
rarely runs dry. There are numerous dove-cotes the length of the
valley. |
|
Mustafa
Paşa |
|
A
town near Ürgüp, six kilometers along the road south.
Its 19th-century church-in-the-rock is the region's most recent church. Also of interest is the mosque
built of, rather than hollowed out of, stone. |
|
Cemil
|
|
14
km. from Ügüp on the road to Soğanlı, Cemil is a
small village near the Gorgolu Valley with its fairy chimneys and
two ruined churches. |
|
Taşkın
Paşa |
|
Taşkın
Paşa is a small village 18 km. south of Ürgüp.
It was formerly called Damsa: parallel to the road
there is a stream which, like the small dam across it, bears this name.
In
the 14th century Taskın Pasa came under Karamanian rule. The town
seems to have been a major center at that time. The Taskın Pasa
Mosque in the heart of the
village, together with its courtyard tomb, are left from this
Karamanian period. The
village gets its name from the vizier who ordered
construction of the mosque and other works. Though
of small size, this mosque displays certain important
features of Turkish-Islamic architecture. The modest-appearing
Damsaköy Taşkın Paşa Mosque is in many ways typical of Ottoman
architecture. The
inscriptions on the tomb adjacent to the mosque
indicate 14th-century Karamanian origin. In
this three-"naved" mosque only the ante-mihrap space
is domed, with vaults for the remainder of the interior.
The rain gutters, inspired by those of the Sultan Hani (Caravanserai),
are carved with figures of animals, while the portal too is highly
ornate.
The
mihrap and mimber are masterpieces of Turkish
woodcarving and as such have, since 1940, been
kept first in the museum at Kayseri and more recently
in Ankara's Museum of Ethnography. In
the outer courtyard, to the right of the portal, is a quadrangular
mesjit called the Summer Mosque, with
a minaret of the frequently-encountered "ciborium" type.
Also in the courtyard is an octagonal tomb set
on a square base, and another that is hexagonal.
As
for the structure which scholars have till now recognized
as a medrese (theological college), current opinion
strongly favors its having been used as a palace. |
|
Şahinefendi |
|
180
km. south of Ürgüp near the village of Şahinefendi, the Church
of the Forty Martyrs (kırk Şehitler) stands
among fairy chimneys. In this church, with its double nave
divided by columns, the 40 martyrs of Sebastian ore depicted. The
paintings were done during the
Seljuk era, in 1216. |
|
Soğanlı
Valley |
|
This
forked valley 30 km. from Ürgüp is known for its
scenery and churches. In all the region, only its Belli Church has
a dome that was carved from without.
The Karabas, Canavar and Gök Churches also deserve
a visit. |
|