dark-church

Dark Church:

Nevsehir is home to about five thousand years of history and is one of the oldest settlements. This region attracts attention with its underground cities, fairy chimneys and many churches belonging to the Christian community that lived in previous periods. The Dark Church is also an important historical site within the Goreme Open Air Museum. Therefore, the Dark Church is a must-see for visitors to Nevşehir and those interested in the history of different cultures.

There are many churches, chapels, residential areas and dining halls in this area, which is now used as an open-air museum. This area, where the first monastic systems are thought to have been created, is especially noteworthy for the ancient decorations and paintings inside the churches. In addition, this museum has been recognized as an asset of both cultural and natural importance and is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The Dark Church, which has survived intact until today, was used for a long time to shelter pigeons and preserved its original appearance with the contribution of pigeon dung. Later, it was restored and taken under protection. There is also a very small window in the church and therefore a limited amount of light enters the church. The name of the church comes from this feature.

The low amount of light in the church has helped the paintings, which have been preserved over the years, to maintain their vitality and ensured the continuation of this visual feast. Since the paintings have been preserved, the church has been renovated by 12 artists from four different nationalities.

The narthex, the old entrance point of the church, is closed to visitors today. To reach the upper part, you have to pass through the tunnels at the bottom and use the wooden stairs. The interior is decorated with domes and columns and has walls depicting many events that are important for the Christian faith.

The dome at the top of the church has a picture of Jesus, the symbol of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. In addition, the signs on the pillars symbolize the various names of Jesus. The church also depicts many events taken from the Torah.

Visiting Hours and Entrance Price : 

Goreme Open Air Museum hosts its guests between 08:00-19:00 in summer and 08:00-17:00 in winter. Entrance to the museum is free of charge and you can also enter with the Museum Card. In order to ensure that the churches are less destroyed, this entrance fee is slightly higher than the entrance fees of other churches.

How to get there?

The Dark Church is just 2 km from Goreme and a 20-minute drive from Nevsehir. You can also visit the Dark Church by taking the buses departing from Goreme every hour from 8 am to 7 pm. The journey will be well worth it for everything you see at the Dark Church, one of the most important churches in the Cappadocia region.