Cave churches in Cappadocia. cave settlements of cappadocia

Cappadocia is one of the most interesting places Turkey is not stereotyped beach tourism. This area combines unique attractions, having natural and man-made origin that are closely related to each other. Landscapes with bizarre outlines, underground cities and cave settlements, canyons with specific formations, all this combines historical area. The area is also characterized by extensive cave monasteries dating back to early Christianity. Due to these reasons, the cave settlements of Cappadocia, along with some landscapes, were included in the list. world heritage UNESCO.

cave settlements Cappadocia occupy a vast territory in the east of Turkey. Starting from the 1st millennium BC, there was created unique complex settlements, including underground cities, churches, dwellings carved into the rocks and cave monasteries. In fact, the whole area is now a museum under open sky and an important place of pilgrimage. Since the beginning of our era, Cappadocia has been one of the largest Christian centers of that time. The apostle Paul considered these places the most suitable for the upbringing of the righteous.

The cave settlements of Cappadocia were formed on a territory favorable for solitude, characterized by a unique geological structure. Such formations were formed as a result of volcanic eruptions about 65 million years ago, covering the area with light porous rocks, one of which was tuff. Further, the outline of the territories that can be seen today was given by wind and water erosion, which removed the soft parts of the rocks. Tuff is easy to process, and when it comes into contact with fresh air becomes more solid after a while. For these reasons, the first settlers chose this place and began to gouge the caves.

VIII-IX centuries did not pass quietly on the territory of the peninsula. This period went down in history as iconoclasm, when the Byzantine emperor took political direction against the veneration of icons. Cappadocia, due to its inaccessibility, has become a refuge for a large number of those wishing to become monks and made it possible for everyone to equip their own ascetic cell. In addition to everything in those years, Asia Minor was subjected to repeated raids by invaders, and the difficult terrain made it difficult for any movement of enemy hordes and served as a safe haven. Every year the number of cells increased, gradually turning into cave settlements in Cappadocia.

This type of life and everyday life led to the emergence of a kind of tradition that the locals preserve and apply in practice to this day. Gouging you live in the rocks has a number of features, primarily related to amenities. The internal coolness of the premises makes life acceptable, many requiring quiet and quiet life move here from a noisy and gassed city. Some cave settlements of Cappadocia are equipped with modern benefits of civilization. So, for example, the windows of the caves are glazed, electricity, water supply and sewerage are carried out inside, the whole space is divided into living rooms and utility rooms.

Carving in the rocks of the monasteries was carried out both by the population from the adjacent cities and by the monks, thanks to whom significant remains remained here. historical monuments, churches and monasteries. Conventionally, the cave settlements of Cappadocia can be divided into two types: underground cities and land settlements. The underground part surprises with its structures and dimensions, disputes about which continue to this day. The Greek historian Xenophon described these underground dwellings as early as the 5th century BC.

At the moment, only 6 underground cities have been discovered, but archaeologists do not exclude the possibility that the cave settlements of Cappadocia store new discoveries. After the settlements were abandoned, the French priest Gerfanion was the first to discover such a city in the 19th century. He found a hole in the rock, where he descended and saw colossal passages going down several floors, with ventilation, wells, utility rooms for grain and pets, equipment for making wine and churches. Residents of such cities came to the surface to cultivate farmland. All underground passages leading upstairs, in case of danger, were blocked by heavy stone bolts.

The largest and most accessible underground city is Derinkuyu. It is located on eight levels and reaches a depth of 60 meters, the area ranges from 2.5 km². The size of the city until today is final. Archaeologists claim that this moment only no more than 15% of the territory has been discovered and explored. Inside, all rooms and tunnels are well lit and ventilated, the temperature is in the range of 13-15 °C. For connection between the tiers, holes were made in many places.

Stone bolt to Derinkia

Moves to Derinkia

On the levels of Derinkuyu there were various utility rooms that provided the city with complete autonomy. From the main one, you can see stables, wine-making rooms, a religious school, armories, a church with dimensions of 20 × 9 meters, a meeting room, a large vaulted hall. Derinkuyu was closed with the help of large flat stone blocks, weighing up to half a ton, two people could easily close such a door thanks to levers. Ventilation shafts go down to groundwater and at the same time serve as wells. The city presumably began to be carved into the rocks in the 2nd millennium BC. The cave settlements of Cappadocia have another feature, underground tunnels that connect cities. For example, Derinkuyu is connected by a 9-kilometer passage to another large underground city, Kaymakli.

Well in Derinkia

Premises in Derinkia

Kaymakli has long served as a refuge for Christians during times of religious persecution and Arab raids. As with the analogy of the previous city, this one also has a complex system of tunnels with halls and consists of eight tiers. The city began to be carved from the time of the Hittite kingdom, and during the Byzantine period, the area only increased. The levels are interconnected by passages and ventilation wells at the bottom of which there was water. For the most part, the premises consist of two-room dwellings, there are also kitchens, stables, wine warehouses, chapels and storage rooms for food storage. The walls of Kaymakli accommodated about 15 thousand people, the infrastructure of the city allowed residents not to rise to the surface for several months.

Kaymakli

Walks in Kaymakli

The cave settlements of Cappadocia in the ground part were originally cut into the rocks as cells that contributed to spiritual enlightenment. The number of monks grew every year, so some rooms were carved on high altitude and they could only be reached by means of rope ladders. So, over time, rock churches and monasteries began to form, which are located in the valleys of Belisyrma, Derbent, Ihlara, Gulluder, Kyzylchukur, Kylychlar and in national park Goreme.

Ihlara Valley

Goreme is considered an open-air museum. It occupies an area of ​​300 km² on which churches are located, convent Kyzlar and adjacent structures with service premises. In some churches, murals of the 11th century depicting gospel scenes are well preserved. The construction of churches in the Ihlara valley began in the 4th century, and at the beginning of the 9th century it was already decorated with frescoes of Syrian origin. A total of 105 churches were built here before the 14th century, 13 of which are now open to the public. The rock monastery in Zelva is famous from the Derbent valley. In the 11th-13th centuries, there was an important center of the local Christian community, where, in addition to churches and chapels, there were residential buildings and a mill.

Rock monastery in Zelva

Another integral part of this area, without which it is difficult to imagine, are stone pillars. The locals call them peribajalars, which means “fairy chimneys” or “fairy fireplaces”. Pillars are remnants in the form of various bizarre shapes and shapes, for example, mushrooms, arrows, umbrellas, pipes and phalluses. They consist of volcanic rocks: tuff, basalt and andesite. The tops of the pillars are hard rocks that are weakly susceptible to erosion, the bottoms are soft rocks, the wind easily grinds them with grains of sand (the deflation process). As a result, the pillar becomes thinner over time, leaving a conical cap on top, which at some point will collapse. In this way, natural sculptures are obtained that surround the cave settlements of Cappadocia.

The underground cities of Cappadocia are one of the unusual attractions of this region of Turkey. It is believed that in Cappadocia there may be several hundred underground cities, almost under each locality. But so far, about 40 large underground settlements have been discovered, of course, not all of them can be called cities, and not all of them are available for visiting. We will tell you about the 6 biggest cave cities: Tatlarin, Derinkuyu, Ozkonak, Mazy, Kaymakli and Gaziemir, which are open to tourists.

Underground cities of Cappadocia - history and features

The first inhabitants of Cappadocia began to use cavities inside volcanic rocks, as early as Bronze Age to shelter from bad weather and wild animals. People enlarged these caves in accordance with daily needs, and found new cavities, creating entire underground cities connected by labyrinths of tunnels. Later, the underground cities of Cappadocia were used for religious purposes, and were the hiding place of the first Christians, persecuted by the Roman troops.

But the underground cities of Cappadocia have become especially in demand in Byzantine period when the increase in enemy invasions forced local population build underground shelters for protection. In peacetime, local residents used the underground grottoes as warehouses for storing food, and in case of impending danger, they took refuge in them themselves.

From external dangers, underground cities were protected by massive stone blocks that acted as doors. These blocks are like huge millstones, 55-60 cm thick, 170-175 cm in diameter and weighing 200-500 kg. The millstones blocked the narrow tunnel, and wedged from the inside, reliably blocking the entrance. Some stone discs had a hole in the center through which it was possible to defend against attackers. But even if the enemies penetrated the city, they could get confused in an unfamiliar maze of tunnels, where various traps awaited them.

The underground cities of Cappadocia had all the necessary amenities for long-term autonomous living. They had quarters for livestock, warehouses for food, kitchens, oil mills and wineries, a unique well-thought-out ventilation system and water wells. cave cities Cappadocia had churches and even cemeteries. Archaeological research shows that toilets and baths were used in the underground cities of Anatolia as early as 3,000 years ago.

The people of the underground cities lived in grottoes carved into volcanic tuff, consisting of one or two rooms. Not much different in layout and functional purpose of the premises, underground settlements could accommodate a different number of people. The largest underground cities of Cappadocia accommodated up to several tens of thousands of settlers.

6 biggest underground cities in Cappadocia

Tatlarin was probably one of the most important underground cities in Cappadocia. Its original entrance collapsed and was littered with rocks, so the city was only rediscovered in 1975 and became accessible to tourists in 1991. The entrance to the underground city of Tatlarin is a passage, about 15 meters long, which opens in a relatively Big hall. The three human skeletons found here, as well as places to store food, suggest that this section was used as a burial site in the Roman period, and then was significantly expanded and began to be used as a kitchen in the Byzantine period.

The hall at the entrance is connected with the second large area winding corridor with traps and a stone door. The second zone contains dwellings and five food storages carved into the rock, which are supported by strong pillars. It is believed that this underground city was used as a religious or military center, judging by large sizes his rooms. Currently, only two floors of the underground city of Tatlarin can be visited, located on a fairly large area. IN underground city Work continues on clearing the other levels.

There are a lot of underground cities in the Cappadocia region of Turkey, but Derinkuyu underground city deserves special attention. This is the largest and deepest underground city in Cappadocia, consisting of eight levels descending to a depth of about 85 meters. Built by the Phrygians in the VIII-VII centuries. BC, according to the Turkish Department of Culture, the underground city of Derinkuyu was significantly expanded during the Byzantine era. As in many other underground complexes of Cappadocia, wineries and oil presses, stables and storage facilities, underground churches and chapels were equipped in the underground city of Derinkuyu. There are deep ventilation shafts and wells that made it possible for people to live in the underground city for a long time.

Unique to Derinkuyu is located on the second underground level, a spacious hall with a vaulted ceiling. It is assumed that this room was used as a religious school, and the rooms adjacent to the hall were cells. In addition, Derinkuyu has a cross-shaped church on the lowest level of the underground city. A large ventilation shaft, 55 m deep, was also apparently used as a well. This well could provide water for the villagers on the surface, and those hiding in the underground city. The city was closed from the inside with large stone disk-doors. Each level of the dungeon could be closed separately. Derinkuyu is the largest excavated underground city in Turkey. The complex has 11 levels, but there are suggestions that there are many more. The city could accommodate between 20,000 and 50,000 people and was connected to other underground cities through miles of long tunnels.

Underground city of Kaymakli

Underground city of Kaymakli ( ancient name Enegup) is located in the Ihlara Valley about 20 km from Nevsehir, and is one of the largest underground cities in Cappadocia. Up to 5,000 people could live in this underground city. Kaimakli differs from Derinkuyu in its structure and layout. Its tunnels are lower, narrower, and descend more steeply underground. Kaymakli has 8 levels, 4 of which are open to tourists, and maximum depth less than 20 meters from the surface. All the premises of the city are organized around ventilation shafts, which influenced the layout of the rooms and open space. The city of Kaymakli is built around the main ventilation chimney. The ventilation system is so good that even on the fourth floor there are no problems with clean air.

Narrow corridors connect living quarters, warehouses, ventilation shafts, wells and churches. The protection of the city in case of danger was provided by the same large round stone doors. Animals were placed on the first level. On the second floor there was a church and a cemetery for important clerics. The third floor is more spacious than the others and consists of the most important rooms for the underground complex. It has many sections for storing wine, wheat and flour, it also housed a winery and a kitchen.

But the most surprising and unusual find on the third level was a room with a large stone block of , indicating that the underground city was engaged in cold processing of copper. The fourth level consists of a large number of food stores.

Ozkonak Underground City

The city of Ozkonak is located on the northern slopes of Mount Idis, with many layers of volcanic granite, 14 km northeast of Avanos. The city was accidentally discovered in 1972 by a local farmer. Lateef Akar found an underground room that turned out to be part of an entire city underground. During the excavations, 10 floors were found extending to a depth of 40 m. The underground city of Ozkonak could provide living space for 60,000 people for up to three months.

The vast underground galleries of the city are scattered over a large area and connected to each other by tunnels. Unlike the underground cities of Kaymakli and Derinkuyu, very narrow, up to 5 centimeters, and long holes were made between the premises of the city of Ozkonak, which provided ventilation and communication between different levels. Another feature of Ozkonak is a large number of holes above the tunnels to dump hot oil on the enemy. Dozens of rooms, four large halls, eight water wells, four tombs, a ventilation system, and a winery have been found in the underground city of Ozkonak. Only four levels of this city are open to the public.

Underground settlement Mazy

Cappadocia is located in Turkey and annually attracts many tourists from all over the world. The name of the area translates as " beautiful horses". However, Cappadocia is famous more for its mountains. volcanic origin and ancient settlements discovered in them.

The settlements include cave monasteries and houses, as well as entire underground cities. One of the reasons for the emergence of these stone settlements lies in the fact that Cappadocia is not rich in vegetation. The lack of sufficient trees led to the need to use materials other than wood for construction.

Local rocks are composed of tuff. This material is easy to process, it can easily be hollowed out. However, after a long contact with fresh air, the tuff turns to stone, the building becomes strong and indestructible.

Stone buildings erected in this way and caves carved into the rocks are still used by the local population. For example, the inhabitants of the village of Goreme use the caves as storerooms. Some buildings have electricity, which allows them to be used as living quarters.

History of cave settlements in Cappadocia

Historically, the caves of Cappadocia were used local residents not only as housing, but also for protection during enemy raids. The terrain is located in such a way that enemy tribes and foreign invaders periodically passed through it. Therefore, the population tried to create the most reliable shelters.

The caves were perfect place to escape the invaders. The mountainous terrain made it difficult to search for and detect such shelters. In addition, it was quite easy to hide in the caves themselves - it was enough to barricade the main entrance. At the same time, the premises were very spacious and could hide a large number of residents from prying eyes.

So, in cave settlements, local residents fled from the raids of the Thracians and Arab nomads. The troops of the majestic army of Alexander the Great stopped here during the conquests. And later, the first Christians found shelter from the Roman soldiers in the settlements.

Unlike ground stone buildings and caves, underground cities are not so visible from the surface. To date, 6 large underground settlements have been opened: Tatlarin, Ozkonak, Mazykayu, Derinkuyu, Ajigol and Kaymakly. In total, there are more than two hundred underground settlements.

The first of the stone cities was accidentally discovered in the 19th century by the French priest Gerfanion. Having descended into a strange hole located in the middle of the plain, the holy father found himself in an underground city, going deep into several floors. The city had drinking wells, ventilation shafts and several temples.

The inhabitants of such a city had all the necessary conditions for life and could only come to the surface to get food and cultivate the fields. The security of the dungeon was provided by a few narrow entrances, which, in case of a threat of invasion, were closed with large stone boulders and millstones.

Cultural and religious significance cave settlements in Cappadocia

The ability to fairly easily equip a dwelling in a cave attracted monks to Cappadocia, who used the caves as cells. The first followers of Christianity, persecuted by Muslims, also flocked here.

It was believed that life in stone caves, devoid of any amenities, brings enlightenment. Here the monks could live alone with nature, away from cities and large settlements.

The population density of Cappadocia was very high. This is evidenced by the location of dwellings in several tiers. Some caves are so high above the ground that they can only be entered with a rope ladder.

In the caves, not only sketes and cells were arranged, but also temples. Today, there are about a thousand temples carved into the rocks in Cappadocia that have survived to this day. It is assumed that earlier their number was even higher. According to historical information, in one of the periods, the construction of new caves in the region was prohibited by the authorities in order to avoid overpopulation of the area.

Another functional purpose of the caves is their use as rock dovecotes. In almost every valley in Cappadocia, you can see small rooms with many cells in the walls. However, their appearance dates back to the end of the 18th century, when local farmers began to use bird droppings to fertilize the scarce sandy soils.

One of the valleys is even called Güvercinlik Vadasi, which means the Valley of Dovecotes. In specially designated rooms with many niches, pigeons made their nests and laid their eggs. On average, from 50 to 200 birds were placed in one room.

The upper part of the premises had several small holes for birds, and in the lower part there was a closing hole for people. Dovecotes were set up high in the mountains and visited only a few times a year to clean up the precious bird droppings.

The current state of the cave settlements of Cappadocia

Today in Cappadocia, 6 valleys with cave and underground settlements and temples are open for tourists to visit. Land-based rock fortresses Uchhisar, Bashhisar and Ortahisar also attract visitors. Travelers can also visit national park Goreme.

Of the underground cities, only two are open to the public - Derinkuyu and Kaymakli. Here tourists can go down deep into the narrow passages and reach the impressive halls. Underground rooms are very large, some halls are decorated with columns. Between floors, you can move along the stone stairs.

Smaller and numerous caves dungeons in ancient times were used by residents as rooms for living, pantries for storing vegetables and fruits, kitchens for cooking. The underground cities had their own chapels and temples.

Today, underground passages and rooms accessible to tourists have electric lighting, as well as signs to help you navigate through the numerous labyrinths.

Where are the cave settlements of Cappadocia

Excursion to inspect land-based settlements, they most often go to the Uchhisar valley, where local residents still use caves as dwellings. Electricity is provided in stone houses. Many caves have windows and doors. The interior decoration of the premises is made up of ordinary furniture, and carpets are used as decoration.

Such peculiar cave apartments are quite often made of modern brick extensions. And the residents who moved into modern buildings use the caves as warehouses and storerooms.

In the valley there is also a special attraction - Uchisar Cave Castle. Literally, the name Uchisar is translated as "extreme fortress". The castle is high rock, dotted with rooms and tunnels carved into it. The height of the fortress reaches 60 meters. Exactly this high structure in Cappadocia.

Uchisar Castle has historically been used as defensive structure. To date, most of its rooms are closed to the public. But tourists can climb to the top observation deck and admire the opening view of the cave city.

Bashhisar fortress has been known since the Seljuk period. The name of the majestic building literally translates as " main fortress". The large city of the same name Bashhisar, which today is called Yurgup, was also located here.

Ortahisar Castle is located between two central and extreme fortresses. The very name of the castle means "middle fortress". Nearby is the city of the same name, from where you can make for sightseeing.

In Goreme, tourists have the opportunity to admire the Cappadocian frescoes of the period of the 9th - 11th centuries. They were also discovered by the priest Zherfanion in the local rock churches. The wall paintings of this period are considered a symbol of the flourishing of Byzantine painting in Goreme, and the 11th century is called the "Golden Age" in the art of painting in Cappadocia.

Cappadocia has one of the most long rivers - Red river Kazylyrmak. The water in the river has an unusual red hue due to great content limestone and ironstone. On the banks of the river, not far from the cave settlements of Cappadocia, is located ancient city Avanos, famous since the 20th century BC for its pottery.

IN small village Cavusin to the northeast of Goreme is the Basilica of St. John, built in the 6th century. On the mountain you can also see a church called the Dove House. On the walls of the church, frescoes have been preserved, the plot of which reflects the campaign of Nicephorus Phocas, which he made in the 10th century through this territory.

How to get to the cave settlements of Cappadocia

Cappadocia is located in the central part of Turkey. You can get here by bus or plane from almost anywhere. big city , including from Istanbul, to which the main international flights with tourists.

Going to Cappadocia by bus, it is best to take tickets to the village of Goreme. It is she who is considered the heart of the region. Local residents are mainly engaged in serving tourists and agriculture. From here you can also get to other cities of the valley.

You can get to the valley of cave settlements on your own, in a rented car. To explore the many sights, it is recommended to stay in hospitable hotels in the cities of Uchisar, Yurgup, Avanos and Chavushin. Waiting for tourists small towns Nevsehir and Ortahisar.

Cappadocia is the ancient name of a mountainous region in Central Turkey, in the valley of the Kyzyl-Irmak River, bounded from the west by Lake Tuz, and from south to northeast - mountain ranges Taurus and Tejer. In the II millennium BC. The territory of Cappadocia was part of the Hittite kingdom. In III-I centuries BC. a small independent state existed here, which fell under the rule of Rome from 17 AD. After the collapse of the Roman Empire, Cappadocia became one of the provinces of Byzantium. The life and work of the three major figures of the church, the famous theologians St. Basil the Great, the Bishop of Caesarea, St. George, the Bishop of Nyssa and St. Gregory of Nazianzus, were connected with her.

The landscapes of Cappadocia are often called "lunar" and "alien". This peculiar nature reserve today occupies an area of ​​288 sq. km. Approximately three million years ago there were powerful eruptions Erciyes and Khasandaty volcanoes. As a result, the surrounding valleys and plateaus were filled with red-hot lava. Over time, under the influence of wind, rain and river flows, weathering and washing out of soft rocks occurred. This magically transformed the local landscape. Now it is a weave deep canyons, among which cone-shaped or pyramidal rocks suddenly appear with peaks of the most unusual kind.
Some of them look like pointed caps, others look like wide-brimmed hats or huge "pancakes". It seems that these are not rocks, but giant mushrooms. The Turks call them "Peri Bajalari" - earthen pyramids. The picture takes on an even more fantastic look due to the unusual and varied color range of rocks. Depending on the sunlight, they change color - from pink and gold to green and purple.
The Goreme Valley, the most amazing and fantastic corner of Cappadocia, is the most famous monument of early Christianity in Asia Minor. On the territory of this region today there are over 600 rock churches and monasteries built in the 6th-11th centuries.

The valley got its name after St. Jerome (tur. Goreme), one of the first hermits who settled here. Even during the time of the Hittites, at the turn of the 2nd millennium BC, cave settlements appeared in the valleys of Cappadocia. During the reign of the Roman emperor Diocletian, Christians fled from persecution in these caves of Cappadocia. After Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire, the rock shelters were practically empty and served as a shelter only for a few ascetic hermits. This period did not last long: in the VII century. A wave of Arab invasions hit Asia Minor. Repeatedly, the capital of Cappadocia, Caesarea (Kayseri), also suffered from these invasions. The Goreme caves became a refuge for residents from the outskirts of the Byzantine Empire, who fled from the Muslim conquerors.
Inside the rocks, columns and domes were cut out of soft volcanic tuff, windows were cut through. At the same time, all the necessary living and utility rooms were expanded and built - kitchens, dining rooms, cellars. Thus, whole cities arose, consisting of man-made caves. Byzantine author of the second half of the 10th century. Leo the Deacon, talking about Cappadocia, mentioned underground cities, calling their inhabitants "troglodytes".

The most famous underground cities in Kaymakli and Derinkuyu go to a depth of 40 m and consist of 8-9 underground tiers, which are real labyrinths with many residential and utility rooms, warehouses, churches and a kind of ventilation system. Derinkuyu caves have eight tiers, reaching a depth of 85 m, and are interconnected by stone corridors and galleries. This underground city could accommodate up to 20 thousand people. The total length of its residential and utility premises, underground galleries and passages exceeds 30 km.
Of the rock churches of Goreme, the oldest one dates back to the 6th-7th centuries, all the rest - to the 10th-11th centuries. Most of them are small in size and consist of one room, but there are much more large structures. Such, in particular, is the women's monastery, carved into the rock and consisting of four churches, cells and utility rooms located on four levels and connected by internal passages.
The walls of the rock churches and monasteries were painted with wonderful frescoes, which brought the monuments of Cappadocia worldwide fame. Due to the peculiarities of the local volcanic tuff, in which the caves are carved, and the microclimate in them, the colors of the ancient murals have retained their original freshness to this day.
In some rock churches one can see various symbols of early Christianity. For example, a vine is a symbol of Christ, a fish - in Greek "IKTUS" - an abbreviation of the phrase "Iesos Kristos Teon Uios Soter", i.e. “Jesus Christ the Son of God the Savior”, a dove is a symbol of peace and the Holy Spirit, a deer is a symbol of the soul, a peacock is a sign of the Resurrection.
Other murals belong to the period of iconoclasm (VIII-IX centuries). The iconoclastic heresy arose in the 1930s. 8th century under Emperor Leo the Isaurian, when a wave of Islamic influence reached Byzantium. As you know, Islam does not allow the image of people, and even more so of saints, considering this idolatry. Under the same pretext, the destruction of icons began throughout Byzantium. The Ecumenical Council of 787 in Nicaea condemned and rejected the iconoclastic heresy and determined: “to place and place in holy churches, along with the image of the Holy Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, and holy icons, honor them and worship them.” But only at the Council of Constantinople in 842 was the veneration of icons finally approved.

The frescoes of the iconoclasm period are characterized by symbolic plots and simple geometric ornamentation. The murals of late (X-XI centuries) churches are usually made on plastered walls and are distinguished by the greatest artistic and emotional expressiveness. The frescoes depict scenes from the Gospel, the most important episodes of the earthly life of Christ. The style of wall painting gives grounds to consider artists from Armenia as the authors of some of these murals.
Unique murals have been preserved in the churches of St. Barbara (Barbara-kilise), the “Apple Church” (Elmali-kilise), the “Snake Church” (Yylanly kilise; this name is given by the fresco preserved in this temple, on which the famous Cappadocian saints George the Victorious and Theodore Tyro slay the dragon); the largest and best preserved church of Tokaly-kilise (2nd half of the 10th century), and the most famous Karanlyk-kilise - the “Dark Church”. The murals of domes, walls and ceilings made in bright colors are perfectly preserved here due to the fact that they have never been exposed to daylight and sunlight.

A few kilometers north of Goreme is another open-air museum - the Zelve rock monastery complex. It consists of thousands of houses, churches and other structures carved into the steep cliffs. The churches of Zelve, the painting of which has suffered greatly from time to time, were built during the period of the iconoclastic movement in the 8th century, when the so-called “Cappadocian style” in the painting of churches was born.
Since the 14th century, the monasteries and churches of the Göreme valley have gradually fallen into disrepair. In 1907, they were accidentally discovered by the French Jesuit scientist Pierre Guillaume de Gerfagnon, after which interest arose in Europe in these unique monuments Byzantine era. At that time, a small community of monks still lived here, engaged in viticulture and breeding pigeons. In 1926, the Turkish authorities deported the last monks to Greece, and their churches were closed.
Today, the monuments of Cappadocia are among the pearls of world cultural heritage and are one of the most visited tourist sites in Turkey.

And is the main feature historical and cultural appearance of the area and an attractive tourist attraction.

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Causes

• Geological: the nature of the rocks in the area. Cappadocian tuff is soft and easy to work, so it is convenient to gouge caves in it. And having come into contact with fresh air, after a while this rock “hardens” and becomes solid. The lack of trees that could be used as building material is an additional reason. (See Geological characterization of Cappadocia).
• Sociocultural: gouge tradition cave dwellings arose in Cappadocia in the 1st, if not in the 2nd millennium BC, and is preserved by the locals, thanks to its convenience, to this day. For example, the Turkish population of Goreme even now does not build houses in the middle of an empty area, but, on the contrary, attaches them to the remains, in which, in turn, caves are made that are used as storage rooms, and even living rooms.
• Political-religious: geographical position Cappadocia contributed to the fact that over the centuries, waves of foreign invaders swept through its territory, and the local population, in order to survive, chose the strategy of hiding in hiding places. The difficult mountainous terrain made it difficult to send large search detachments. In addition, to hide, it was enough to lay a small entrance to the cave, which could be very spacious. For the same reason of inaccessibility, the region became a haven for a large number of political emigrants during the era of iconoclasm. In addition, the easy opportunity to arrange ascetic cells contributed to the popularity of Cappadocia among those wishing to become monks.

underground cities

The abandoned underground cities of Cappadocia began to be discovered in the 19th century: the French priest Father Gerfanion stumbled upon a small hole in the middle of a mountain plain. Descending into it, he found himself in a colossal underground city, descending several floors, with ventilation shafts, wells, storage facilities for grain and keeping pets, wine presses and temples. The population of such a city went upstairs only to cultivate the fields. Narrow passages leading to the surface, in case of danger, were blocked by heavy stone millstones.

At the moment, 6 similar cities have been discovered, and it is possible that new finds are possible in the future:

• Ozkonak
• Agigol
• Tatlarin
• mazy

Land settlements

Ground dwellings carved into the rocks were used by both the secular population and the monks. But it was the Christian ascetics who left the most remarkable monuments, turning entire mountain valleys into monasteries.

Asceticism in mountain cells

Life in cells carved into the rocks, without any amenities, away from urban centers and alone with harsh nature contributed to spiritual enlightenment. The number of monks who settled in Cappadocia for this purpose was extremely large. And now almost everywhere in any convenient location In Cappadocia, you can see “windows” and “doors” carved into the rocks, which testify to how densely this area was inhabited by hermits. Some of the dwellings are located in the rocks at a great height, and it was possible to climb to them only by rope ladders.

“The growth of the cloisters proceeded rapidly. The whole region was literally riddled with caves, in which churches, sketes, cells were arranged ... There was not enough space for everyone. It got to the point that monastic construction in Cappadocia was banned. In total, more than a thousand temples carved into the rocks have survived to our time.

A typical example of how the life of a Cappadocian monk went is given by the life of St. Mamant, who lived in Cappadocia in the 3rd century:

“... The enraged emperor subjected the young man to cruel tortures. Then they wanted to drown the saint, but the Angel of the Lord saved Mamant and ordered him to live on high mountain in the desert near Caesarea. Obeying the will of God, the saint built a small church there and began to spend his life in strict abstinence, ascetic labors of fasting and prayer.

Soon he gained amazing power over the forces of nature: the animals inhabiting the surrounding desert gathered to his dwelling and listened to the reading of the Holy Gospel. Saint Mamant ate the milk of wild goats and fallow deer.

The saint did not forget about the needs of his neighbors: preparing cheese from this milk, he distributed them to the poor free of charge. Soon the fame of the God-pleasing life of Saint Mamas spread throughout Caesarea. The worried ruler sent a detachment of soldiers after him. Having met Saint Mamant on the mountain, the soldiers did not recognize him, mistaking him for a simple shepherd. Then the saint invited them to the hut, gave them milk to drink, and himself revealed his name to them, as he knew that martyrdom awaited him for Christ ... ".

List of rock monasteries, churches and settlements in Cappadocia

• Avchilar
• Achiksaray

Belisyrma Valley

• • Syumbullu Church
  • Direkli Church
  • Church of Ala
  • Church of St. George
  • Bahattin Samaklygy Church

Goreme

• • Durmush Kadir Church
  • Yusuf Koch Church
  • Church of Bezirkhana
  • Orta Mahalli Church
  • Karabulut Church
  • El Nazar Church
  • Gorgundere Valley
  • Dark Church (Karanlik Kilise)
  • Kyzlar Convent
  • Church of Elmala
  • Church of St. Barbara
  • Church of Yylanly (Snake)
  • Church of Tokala (Old and New)
  • Charikly Church (Church with Sandals)
  • Church of Sakla

The dark church, which has well-preserved murals of the 11th century depicting gospel scenes, was used as a dovecote, and it took 14 years to clean the walls of pigeon droppings.

• • apple church
  • Church with sandals

Derbent Valley

• Zelve, Museum under open sky Zelve
  • Geyikli Church
  • Yuzumlu Kilise (Church of Grapes)

Ihlara Valley

Ihlara Valley (Ihlara Vadisi) is located between extinct volcanoes Khasandag and Golyudag, which covered it with layers of lava, tuff and ash. The Melendiz River cut through this volcanic tuff, forming a canyon of the Ihlara Valley, 15 kilometers long and about 150 meters high. In addition, in this area there are peribajalars (on the territory of the villages of Selime and Yaprakhisar).

Thus, the valley formed by the riverbed received a complex configuration: about 30 bends. At its beginning is the village of Ihlara, and at the end, in the north - the village of Selime. The distance between them in a straight line is 8 km, and due to bends - 15 km.

Güllüdere Valley

• • 5 churches

Valley Kyzylchukur

• • Church of St. mothers
  • Church of St. Khach

Kılıçlar Valley

• • Kılıçlar (Mirror) Church
• Oresin Khan
• Orthisar
  • Jambazly Church
  • Hallach Monastery
• Valley Pashabagy
• Urgup
• Uchisar
  • Dove Valley
• Valley Soganly
  • Church of the Predator
  • Kubbeli Kilise or Domed Church
  • Church of St. Barbara
  • Kara-bash Kilise (Church of the Black Heads)
  • Janavarly Church
• Chavushin
  • Church of the Baptized Yahweh
  • Buyuk Guvercinlik Church
• Yurgup
• Yuchisar

Frescoes of Cappadocia

The 11th century is considered the "Golden Age" in the art of murals in Goreme.

In Asia Minor, numerous rock churches in Cappadocia have preserved a large number of very interesting frescoes, some of which date back to the 9th, 10th and 11th centuries. The discovery and study of these Cappadocian frescoes, which "showed an amazing wealth of wall painting", is closely associated with the name of St. Father J. Gerfanlon (G. de Jerphanlon) who dedicated most his life to a careful study of Cappadocia, " new province Byzantine art. .