Caves of God in Ortahisar Cappadocia " castles, churches, chapels, fresks"

Abstract

The Cappadocia Region which is known as “The Land of Beautiful Horses” in ancient times has hosted many well-established civilizations such as the Hittites, Romans, Byzantines, Seljuks and Ottomans. As an inevitable result of geography, the place where people live has taken shape accordingly. In 1985, Göreme National Park and Cappadocia Region have become one of the eighteen properties that were included in the World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO. Ortahisar Town is one of the most important representatives of this cultural heritage in Nevşehir. Many structures in Ortahisar have been put under protection with the status of “monumental property” by the European Council of Natural and Cultural Heritage Protection Inventory and Turkish General Directorate of Cultural Heritage and Museums. Hans Dernschwam, Paul Lucas, Charles Texier, William J. Hamilton, Feldmaresal Helmunth Von Moltke, William Francis Ainsworth, Heinrich Barth, A.D. Mordtmann, J.R. Sitlington Sterrett, Ernest Chantre, W.M. Ramsay, Roman Oberhummer- Heinrich Zimmerer,. Hans- Herman Graff Von Schwinitz, Hans Rott, Guillaume de Jerphanion, R.M. Dawkins, Béla Hovarth, Nahit Sırrı Örik, İsmail Habib Sevük, Yorgo Seferis, Lord Kinros and Yaşar Kemal are some of the important travelers who shed light on the past of Ortahisar which looks like a kind of UFO museum. In fact, there is no other example of “The Empty Crucifix Scene” which is in the Saints-Pierre-Et-Poul Church, “The 1.5 meter tall human relief that seems to be jumping on us when viewed from below which is” in St. Basileos Church (Hospital Monastery), “Dome Shaped Kalpak” which is depicted on the maid’s hair in the Virgin Mary’s Visiting Elizabeth Scene in Cambazlı Church (Aşağıbağ Church), The “Psili Cross Motif” located in Fırkatan Church (Aynalı Church) and “the secret gate over the cylindrical stone dome” which is in the Church of Büyükyüz Cliffs near Üzengi Stream in Cappadocia Rock Churches. “The Crucifixion Scene of Christ with Kolobion” in Hagios Neketas Stylites Church (Üzümlü Church) is the earliest Crucifixion Scene that existed up to today in the Cappadocia Region. “The Baptism Scene showing Jesus in a basin” and “the Latin Cross embellished with stylized lace patterns” in the Saints-Pierre-Et-Poul Church, “The Seraph Figure (necklace decoration)” in the apse of Cambazlı Church, and “Pre-iconoclast frescoes” in Üzümlü Church are rare examples of Cappadocia Rock Churches. It is claimed that Saint Nino, one of the most respected saints of the Orthodox Church, was born and raised in Ali Reis Church. Before this study, very well-intentioned studies about culture, history and civilization of Ortahisar were carried out, especially by local guides and intellectuals. In this study that I have prepared with the sense of responsibility that our history offers us, the history of Ortahisar has been comprehensively prepared with many new information and documents. Especially the studies of missionaries, historians, agents and travelers who visited the region in the late 19th and early 20th centuries were translated into modern Turkish and evanished buildings that could not resist time and natural conditions were told. I hope that this study will not only fill a significant deficiency in terms of the region but also be an inspiration for following academic researches.