Goreme Open Air Museum

There are many artifacts in Göreme open air museum, which must be included in the Cappadocia trip. First of all, it should be known that museums have an important place in history. At this point, Göreme open air museum has managed to attract all the attention with its churches and 11 different dining halls. The churches that can be visited openly are listed as follows;

Buckle Church

Çarıklı Church

Dark Church

Serpent Church

St. Katherina Chapel

St. Barbara Chapel

Elmali Church

St. Basil’s Chapel

Monastery for Boys and Girls

The churches listed above are divided into 2 different categories. These works, which are categorized according to their periods and the architecture used, are examined as Serpentine churches and Colonnaded churches. The Serpentine Churches are exemplified by the St. Katherina and St. Barbara Chapels, the Convent of the Nuns and the Serpentine church, which generally have wall cuts. Other churches draw attention with paintings that are generally holistic. The church of Çarıklı, Elmalı and the Dark church are known as churches with columns.

Göreme open air museum is located in Cappadocia in Nevsehir province, which is one of the favorite touristic regions of our country and of course the world. Göreme National Park, which is 2 km from Göreme center and 3 km from Ortahisar and Cavuşin, is 6 km from Ürgüp and 13 km from Nevsehir. Transportation to this region can be provided by road from any part of Cappadocia.

Two different airports can be used to go to Göreme open air museum, namely Göreme national Park. One of them is Kayseri Airport and the other is Nevşehir Cappadocia airport. Nevsehir Cappadocia Airport is 30 km from the city center. It is 43 km to Goreme. The distance from Kayseri Erkilet airport to Goreme is 76 km.

Located on the Kayseri – Nevsehir highway, Goreme attracts visitors from many regions of Turkey. There are also direct buses to Nevsehir. Those who want to reach the region can also use the minibuses departing from Nevşehir bus station towards Göreme.

Göreme open air museum entrance fee is updated periodically. Currently, you can enter the open air museum by paying 300 TL valid for 2024. If you want to enter by taking a museum card from the side of the entrance cashier, you can visit the open air museum by paying 60 TL, and you can enter everywhere where the museum card is valid for 1 year free of charge. For students, you can also enter for free if your registration appears when you check through the system.

When we look at the history of open air museum, we can see that it dates back to the 2nd century AD. The region is also extremely important in terms of christian history. For a while, Christians preferred the Goreme region for protection in wars. In addition, the clergy of the period retreated here.

Due to its history in Goreme, you can come across churches, chapels and shelters in the region. After Christ; It is known as the place where three great clergymen Gregorios, Basileios and Kaisareia lived.

Until the 13th century; it was one of the most important settlements of Anatolia. Göreme open air museum was used as an education area. The techniques used in the churches in the region; It is proof that there was a very active period in terms of art.

Goreme open air museum is home to many churches and chapels. There are artifacts built in different periods in the museum, which has important influences of Byzantine architecture. There are more simple traces in the structures dating back to older times. However, with the Roman Empire ruling in the region, the frescoes became more complicated. It is especially remarkable that the frescoes drawn with red paint still preserve their originality.

When you look at the figures drawn in the frescoes, you can see that a significant part of them are related to Christianity. Especially birth, baptism, apostles, Virgin Mary are among the main figures of the frescoes. You can see many forgeries from the Bible in churches and chapels.

Göreme Open Air Museum Churches List and Features

Open Air Museum churches attract attention with their different features. If we take another look at the churches listed above;

Göreme Open Air Museum churches attract attention with their different features. If we take a look at the churches listed above;
• St. Barbara chapel
• Elmali church
• St. Basil’s chapel
• Girls and Boys Convent
• Buckled church
• Carikli church
• The Dark church
• Snake church
• It is in the form of St. Catherine’s chapel.
There are many different features that distinguish churches from other structures. These;
• There are personal names next to the figures.
• The subjects covered in the frescoes are the subjects that Christianity foresees.
• In churches where two types of techniques were painted, the painting applied on the rock and the fresco technique with the correction of the rock surface draws attention.
• Although the images processed in churches are similar to each other, their color tones are different.
• Göreme region was frequented by Christians between the 4th and 13th centuries. For this reason, it became an important center of Christianity and left many works.
• The domes, vaults, top covers, apse and columns in the churches were all carved into the rock.
• Lime mortar, volcanic tuff, straw and face smoothed walls were used in the architecture of these churches.
• The names of the churches are made up of local names like the other churches in their region.

Although Tokalı church is outside the open-air museum, it can be visited by people who buy a museum ticket. It is thought that Tokalı church, which is the oldest and largest rock church of this region, was built in the 10th century. This church, which consists of 4 different sections as a chapel, new church, old church and church, is extremely remarkable.

The beautiful chapels in Tokalı church, where the most beautiful fresco of the virgin Mary of the region is located, are also worth seeing. In the Buckle church, where you will feel the fine art of Byzantium, you can also witness scenes such as the meeting of John the Baptist and Jesus christ, the murder of the Prophet Zechariah and the ascension of Jesus Christ. Finally, another striking feature of the church is the use of blue and red colors.

Built in the early 13th century, the Carıklı church depicts different scenes depicting the crucifixion of Jesus christ. In addition, while there are many frescoes in the church, the most important feature of this church is that the figures are depicted as large and tall. In this church, which takes its name from the depictions of sandaled feet, there are also paintings depicting the ascension of Jesus christ.

There are 2 different main columns in the Çarıklı church. The other existing columns are shaped in the corners of the walls. Built with 3 apses and 4 domes, the main dome of this church depicts ‘Master Jesus or Jesus, the Lord of the Universe’, which is very common in the Orthodox sect. In the south apse, there is a bust of the angel Michael. There are Deesis depictions in the main apse and the depiction of the Child Jesus and Mary in the northern apse.

The different subjects depicted in the friezes of the Çarıklı church also draw attention. The empty tomb of women, the entrance to Jerusalem, baptism, betrayal, 3 astrologers, the New Testament and saints are depicted in this church, and the last supper of Jesus christ and the apostles before his capture is also depicted just below this church.

There are 11 tombs inside the St. Catherine chapel, which has a central domed chapel. The most important rumor about this chapel, which was built in a free cross plan; It tells about Anna, an Egyptian monk, who saw Jesus Christ in her dream and later found the ring of Jesus Christ on her finger. It is also stated that Anna built this chapel out of respect for St. Catherine. While examples of traditional cross architecture are seen in the chapel in Göreme open air museum, it is noticed that the figures are only in the sacred section called Naos. This chapel, which also has geometric reliefs, is among the places to visit in Göreme Valley National Park.

As the name suggests, the Dark church, which receives light only from a small window, has ensured the preservation of the depictions and paintings inside thanks to this feature. In other words, it has survived to the present day because it has not been destroyed. It is also known that the church, which can be entered through a passage with stairs, is more popular after it has been restored. In the Dark church, whose wall paintings look like 3D, there are many depictions of Torah and Judaism besides christianity. In addition, the depiction of the father, son and holy spirit on the main dome draws attention. Those who want to visit this church can buy a separate ticket at the entrance to the open-air museum.

The Serpent church, one of the most important churches in the region, is thought to have been built in the 11th century. There are many depictions of christ in this church, which consists of a refectory, kitchen and pantry. There are also frescoes of St. Onuphrus in this church, which is entered from the north. The Serpent church, which was left unfinished before its construction was fully completed, was built in a rectangular shape with a barrel vault. While there are graves in the southern part, there are many depictions in the eastern part.

The construction of the chapel of St. Barbara, built in the 11th century, was attributed to Barbara of Egypt. Egyptian Barbara is a person who was killed and considered a martyr because her father was a christian. When the chapel walls are examined, there are no human depictions, but geometric supports with mythological animal depictions are seen. An inscription described as a prayer is also located on the wall. The western, northern and southern arms of this cross-shaped chapel are barrel vaulted. In the center of the dome, Hz. There is a portrait of Jesus.

Apple church, which is perhaps the most important among the places to see in Goreme open air museum, has a cruciform plan. There are 9 domes in the Apple church, which has unique decorations and a wonderful architecture. The fact that the domes have become symbols of different religious teachings has also distinguished this church from others. Restored in 1990, the frescoes in Apple church were not interfered with, but the church paintings were actually painted appropriately. Built in the mid-11th century, the entrance to this church is on the south side.

The ornaments in this church, which houses many depictions of Jewish and christian rituals, are usually painted on the wall. Geometric shapes and crosses are colored red.

The barrel-vaulted St. Basil’s chapel has 3 apses. The 11th century St. Basil’s chapel has a depiction of St. Theodore on the north wall, Jesus christ, the child Jesus and Mary on the main apse, and St. George on horseback on the south wall. This chapel, dedicated to St. Basil, is separated from the main parts of the church by columns. It can be said that it is a frequently visited chapel in the region.

Only 2 floors of this monastery, which has 7 floors in total, can be visited. There are many tunnels connecting the floors of this monastery, which is located at the left entrance of Göreme open air museum. During any danger, sliding stones were used to close the mouth of the tunnels. On the 1st floor there is a kitchen and dining hall, while on the 2nd floor there is a dilapidated chapel. The 3rd floor, which has 3 apses, is closed to visitors due to its insecurity.

The 4-story section opposite the monastery, which is closed due to erosion, is only open to visitors on the ground floor. It is possible to see a few rooms on this floor. This building, also known as the monastery of Boys and girls, is thought to have been built in the 11th century.

There are many churches and chapels within the Göreme open air museum. It is stored in an area of approximately 40 thousand square meters.
• The Monastery of Nuns, also known as the monastery of girls, is the first area you will visit at the Göreme open air museum. Holes were built in the rocks. It has 7 floors in total, but only 2 floors can be visited. There are even tombs in the areas that were built as a complete living space and are closed to visitors. Also opposite is the monastery of the Priests. However, the Monastery of the Monks was built in a much simpler way and only one room is allowed to be visited after the erosion.
• St. Basil’s Chapel is named after St. chapel, one of the most important religious figures of christianity. The chapel, which was built in the 11th century, reflects the artistic understanding of the period very successfully. Like many works built during this period, you can come across frescoes drawn with red paint in St. Basil’s chapel.
• Apple church takes its name from the apple figure in the frescoes in the church. It was built as a rock church and integrated with Cappadocia. There are scenes from the Bible in the church.
• St. Barbara church, which is one of the important symbols of open air museum, was built in the 11th century. The drawings in the church are quite different from their counterparts. Although the quality of the drawings is low, they have been the subject of much debate. Not all of the figures are understood.
• Snake church is a building dedicated to important christian saints. It represents Theodore and George being killed by a snake. The drawings, which are also the subject of legends, have added a different atmosphere to the church.
• After visiting the structures in Göreme open museum, you can browse the shops and buy gifts for your loved ones. There are also various places to relax and have a snack or drink tea and coffee.

Cappadocia Tours

Where is Goreme Open Air Museum Map

Goreme Open Air Museum Photos