Göreme Open-Air Museum

Overview

A short walk from the town of Göreme, a small valley of rock cones hides a whole monastery: the Göreme Open-Air Museum. There, monks carved churches, chapels, kitchens and dining halls into the soft stone, then painted the walls with saints and scenes from the life of Christ.

The Göreme Open-Air Museum gathers the best of these rock-cut churches in one walk. Most date from the 10th and 11th centuries, and many keep their painted walls. Come early in the morning.

The Göreme Open-Air Museum in Brief

The museum lies on the edge of Göreme in Nevşehir province, in the heart of Cappadocia. It belongs to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Göreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia, listed in 1985. Entry is by ticket, and the Dark Church needs a separate ticket. For more rock churches, join our tour of the rock churches of Güllüdere and Çavuşin.

Inside the fence, a loop path leads past the churches and chapels. Most are small, so you step in, look up and then move on. Then save time for the Tokalı Church just outside the gate.

A Monastery Valley Carved in Rock

Millions of years ago, volcanic ash covered this region, then hardened into tuff, a stone soft enough to carve by hand. In the 4th century, small communities of hermits began to settle here, following the teachings of Saint Basil of Caesarea, one of the Cappadocian Fathers. Later, monks carved whole monasteries into the valleys.

The painted churches of Göreme

Byzantine painters decorated these churches mainly between the 9th and 11th centuries, after the end of the Iconoclast period. Because the region was remote, some painters followed the Gospel of James rather than only the four canonical Gospels. So you may see scenes from the childhood of Mary that you will not find in many Western churches.

Church by Church: Our Order of Visit

The Dark Church (Karanlık Kilise)

The Dark Church dates from the late 11th or early 12th century. Only one small window in the narthex lets in light, so little light reached its frescoes over the centuries. That is why its scenes from the life of Christ, from the Nativity to the Ascension, have kept their vivid colors. It has its own entrance and needs a separate ticket, but it is worth it.

The Apple Church and the Church of St. Barbara

The Apple Church (Elmalı Kilise) may take its name from the reddish orb in the hand of the Archangel Michael in its dome. Another story links it to an apple tree that once grew nearby. Close by, the Church of St. Barbara, built later in the 11th century, honors a martyr whose father imprisoned her for her faith.

The Snake Church and the Church with Sandals

The Snake Church (Yılanlı Kilise), by contrast, is a simple barrel-vaulted hall. Its name comes from a fresco of Saint George and Saint Theodore slaying a dragon, painted here as a snake. In the Church with Sandals (Çarıklı Kilise), look for two footprints below the Ascension scene, which give the church its name.

The refectories and the nunnery

Between the churches, look also for the dining halls of the monks. Long tables and benches are carved straight out of the rock. Near the entrance, the tall rock of the nunnery also rises with rooms on several levels.

The Tokalı Church outside the Göreme Open-Air Museum

Finally, just outside the main gate, stands the Tokalı Church, the “Buckle Church”. It has four parts: an Old Church from the 10th century, a larger New Church added soon after, a side chapel and a lower church. Inside, its deep blue backgrounds glow above scenes from the life of Christ.

Before and After the Göreme Open-Air Museum

The town of Göreme grew up around these valleys, so many of its families lived in carved houses until the 20th century. Today the same cones hold cave hotels, and at dawn the balloons rise over the museum valley.

The restaurants of Göreme are only a short walk away. Try testi kebabı, for example, meat and vegetables cooked in a sealed clay pot, or mantı, small dumplings with yogurt. To cook the dishes of the region with a local family, book our Cappadocia cooking class. Our North Cappadocia tour starts its day at the museum.

How to Visit the Göreme Open-Air Museum

Visiting the Göreme Open-Air Museum

• Getting there: it is a short walk from the center of Göreme, so you do not need a car.
• Tickets: buy them at the gate; however, the Dark Church needs an extra ticket. An audio guide is available.
• Hours: the museum is open every day of the week, and an evening session is also offered. We arrange your entry to the open-air museum and time it to the season.
• Photography: follow the rules at each church, because flash damages the frescoes.

Local tips for the Göreme Open-Air Museum

• Arrive at opening time, in the soft morning light.
• Do not skip the Tokalı Church, since it lies outside the main gate.
• Combine the visit with Uçhisar Castle at sunset or the underground city of Derinkuyu.
• Wear good shoes, because some stairs to the chapels are steep.