The most beautiful religious buildings Anatolia And Cappadocia

Pleasant hikes in a deep canyon of 50 to 150 m in perspective! More than 50 churches are dug on both sides of the road, such as Camii Kilise ("the mosque church"), the largest in Güzelyurt or Yüksek Kilise ("the high church"). This valley would have sheltered many people in monasteries and churches. Of the 28 churches, 7 are double nave, 17 single nave and one triple nave. These places date from the Byzantine period and can be visited.

Built in 1223 during the reign of Keyqubad I of the Sultanate of Rum. With its finely carved doors, the historic Alaeddin Camii Mosque is located inside Niğde Castle, the most sheltered place in the city. It is a beautiful yellow ochre building, very nice example of Seljuk architecture. It is said that between 10:00 and 11:00 (depending on the season), you should go to the gate on the east side. At that time of the day, the light effects caused by the sun's rays would allow to discern the shape of a crowned woman's head.

Discovered in 1963, the Eski Monastery Gümüşler contains beautifully preserved wall paintings (7th-11th century) depicting the Virgin, a beautiful Christ Pantocrator, Saint Michael and the Apostles. The monastery seems to be hidden behind a rock face. The inner courtyard and the church can be reached through a corridor dug between two rocks. You can visit the kitchen, the bedrooms, the baths, the cellars. The church is in the shape of a cross with a dome.

This red colored church, one of the oldest in Cappadocia, is the place where Saint Gregory of Nazianzus is buried. Unlike the majority of the churches of Cappadocia, it is not dug in the rock but built in the middle of the fields, It contains some remains of frescos. Thanks to the association of the Friends of Cappadocia, a restoration program has been launched. The building stands out from the dreary environment and the sad land, you can see it from far.

Located 1 km from the village, the church, made up of three floors, dates from the 12th century. It is suspended on the edge of a ravine. The interior is endowed with frescoes (which are not of great interest) restored by the Greeks in the 19th century. To visit the monument, if the church is not open, someone on site should give you the key. If not, the key should be picked up at the tourist office or you can go to the town hall for information.

It is the first Seljuk külliye (religious complex) in Anatolia, built in the 13th century by Sultan Alaadin Keykubat. Near the citadel stands the mosque of Hünat Hatun (1228). Next to it is the türbe (Muslim funeral building) of Princess Mahperi, wife of Sultan Keykubad, a double hammam (still in use) and a 13th century medersa, which today houses a café in its shaded courtyard, a perfect example of Seljuk architecture.

Gülşehir unveils two superimposed churches in the same cone of tufa, the higher church offers beautiful frescoes, which are very well restored recently.

Located 10 km south of Mustafapaşa, on the road to Soğanlı, and indicated by a yellow sign on the right, the monastery is about 2 km past the village of Cemil. It is difficult to access without a vehicle and still not much visited by tourists: it is worth seeing. Built in the ^13th century, it has a large refectory and two churches: Kara Kilise ("the black church"), which hides many frescoes damaged by smoke, and Aios Stefanos ("the church of St. Stephen") whose frescoes in yellow and orange represent mainly bunches of grapes.

In the center of the village, on the main square, the pediment of the imposing church shows painted grapes. The building has a dome and was built in 1729, before being restored in 1850. The interior is less interesting than the exterior architectural structure, but it nevertheless houses frescoes a little worn by time that date from the nineteenth century. If you want to visit it, you have to get the key at the tourist office.

It is a religious complex(külliye) founded in 1726, comprising, in addition to the mosque, a medersa, a hospice and a library. The mosque is also called Kur unlu ("with lead") because its dome is covered with this metal. Opposite, the hammam is still in use and welcomes mainly tourists. Open from 6am to midnight, it is possible to get all the traditional treatments at very good prices. Note that the men and women sections are not separated.

Located 2 km south of Özkonak, Belha Monastery is located in the middle of nowhere and is completely rocky. It is the largest and oldest known monastery in Cappadocia, probably dating from the 6th century. Note the remarkable portico overlooking a courtyard, and a basilica which must have been the meeting point for the hermit monks of the surrounding area, a storeroom and two funeral chapels that make it a place not to be missed. Another point of interest is the view from the top of the hill. Follow the road for 4.5 km that leads to the top. Superb.

Built between 1408 and 1409 by Kılıçarslan's son, Rükneddin Mesud, on a rectangular plan, and then enlarged and restored during the Karamanoğulları period, this mosque reflects the architectural traditions typical of the beylicat era following the Persian-influenced Seljuk period. Inside, note the beautiful carved wooden minbar. The mosque is built of smooth cut stones and some yellow stones of the portal have been preserved.

The Great Mosque was built in the twelfth century by the Turkish emirs and completed in 1205 by the Seljuks. It is also known as the Sultan Mosque or Cami-i Kebir. It is the oldest building in the city. Thanks to successive restorations, it has remained in very good condition. Note its rectangular shape, its beautiful cylindrical minaret of red bricks which is one of the highest in the country and the particular minbar in carved wood. Its fountain built near the south wall dates back to the beginning of the 18th century.