The earlierGreek name,Peristrema (Περιστρημα; winding round) of the village ofBelisarma which is located about halfway along the valley fromIhlara toSelime, gave its name to the valley as well.
The Ihlara Valley and other noteworthy sites in Cappadocia
The canyon was formed in prehistoric times by theMelendiz River. It lies between the villages ofIhlara in the southeast and Selime in the northwest. At the north end of the village ofIhlara, there is a stairway with almost 400 steps, which descends over 100 m down into the canyon. From the 7th century AD, the valley was settled byByzantine monks who dug their houses and churches out of thetuff stone, which had been deposited by the eruptions ofMount Hasan.
The Christian churches in the valley fall into two groups. The first consists of the churches near the village ofIhlara, which are decorated with paintings of a localCappadocian type that show influence from Persia and Syria to the east. They mostly pre-date theIconoclasm, but were often repainted in newer styles over time. The second group is located near the village ofBelisarma and consists of churches in theByzantine style of the tenth and eleventh centuries, known asMacedonian art.
Churches of Ihlara
Ceiling fresco in Daniel Pantonassa Church, Ihlara Valley.
the Church of the Serpent, in the Ihlara Valley (Cappadocia,Turkey).
Sümbüllü (Hyacinth) Church
The first group includes:
Ağaçaltı Kilisesi ('Church under the Tree'): also known as "Daniel Pantonassa Church", in dedication toDaniel the Stylite, across-in-square church cut out of the cliff, perhaps dating to the 7th century AD. The depiction of theAscension in its cupola pre-dates the Iconoclasm.
Yılanlı Kilise ('Snake Church'): also known as "Apocalypse Church", possibly dedicated toHelena Augusta, the mother ofConstantine I, another cross-in-square church with an unusually longapse. In thenarthex there are scenes of Hell dating to the 9th century AD, and below them are four naked sinners in the grip of snake-like monsters - from which the church takes its modern name.[1]
Sümbüllü Kilise ('Hyacinth church'): also known as "Jacinth Church" possibly from the 10th century AD. The church has a T-shaped ground plan and belongs to the transition to the Macedonian style. The wall paintings include depictions ofConstantine VII with his wifeHelena, as well as frescos ofPaul the Apostle. On the other hand, the external facade shows eastern influences.
Kokar Kilise, also known as 'Church of Andrew in Cynocephalia', in dedication toAndrew the Apostle.
Eğritaş Kilisesi ('Curved Stone Church'): possibly dedicated toNikolaos Oikonomides and formerly known as (N. Oikonomidès), It is thought that Eğritaş Church was built before theIconoclast (726–843) and is one of the early and large churches of the valley.
Pürenli Seki Church: ('Pine Needle Terrace'), with frescos of theHoly Apostles includingNikephoros Ouranos at theCrucifixion, The church consists of four halls carved into the rock. Other frescos include a donkey being led byJames, Christ's half-brother, and Sts.George andTheodore on horses being directed towards the center where a cross above the remnants of two serpents’ heads lies between the two saints. The frescos are dated to the second half of the 9th century and the second half of the 11th century.[2]
Karanlık Kale Kilisesi ('Dark Castle Church'): It was carved into the rock as a monastery church. 9-10 of the church, which has no frescoes. It is estimated to have been built in the middle of the 11th century.
The second group includes:
Direkli Kilise ('Pillar church'). The cruciformnave church was created in the 10th century AD. The cupola is supported by four tall columns, which are decorated with portraits of saints. One of the few inscriptions in the valley reports the dedication of the church by the Byzantine emperorBasil II (r. 976-1025).
Karagedik Kilisesi ('Church with the Black Gap', also called 'St. Ermolaos Church'). a cross-in-square church with four pillars, which was built from bricks andtrachyte blocks in the 11th century and has been almost entirely destroyed aside from some faded remains of paintings.
Kırkdamaltı Kilisesi ('Church with forty roofs', also called 'St. George's Church'). An inscription allows the church to be dated between 1283 and 1295, which makes it the last known example of Christian architecture in the Ihlara valley until the revival of church building by theCappadocian Greeks in the 19th century. The church's paintings include depictions ofSt. George, a painting of the Byzantine consul Basileos Giagupes, who was also anEmir and is shown inSeljuk clothing with his wife Thamar, aGeorgian princess. The aforementioned inscription mentions both the Seljuk SultanMesud II and the Byzantine emperorAndronikos II Palaiologos, a sign that at this date some kind of peaceful co-existence between Christians and Muslims was possible in Cappadocia.
Bahattin Samanlığı Kilise, named after the person who used this church as a barn was given this name by the local people. This settlement belonged to a family of theByzantine elite. The dedicatory inscription around the nave of the church mentions a certain Barbas—perhaps a native ofCappadocia who had imperial titles. Various details indicate the donor was a member of the wealthy aristocracy. This leaves the dedication of the church belonging toNikephoros II Phokas orConstantine VIII, (Basil II's brother). Among the frescoes; Scenes about the life ofJesus (the Pantocrator),Gabriel andPeter are depicted. There are also scenes of theThree Magi, thebirth of Jesus, thedream of Joseph, and thecrucifixion of Jesus. There are also scenes such as the entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem, Jesus being put in the tomb and the angelMichael. The church is thought to have been built probably in the first half of the 11th century.
Bezirhane Complex - a rock-cut complex with a built in church, dedicated toTheotokos.
Meryem Ana Kilisesi ('Virgin Mary Church'), near the Selime cathedral.
Other churches Include: Batkın Kilisesi or ('Submerged church') also called (Açıkel Ağa Kilisesi or Generous, open-handedAgha Church), Davullu Güvercinliği Kilisesi ('Drum Dovecote Church'), Kemer Kilisesi, Eski Baca Kilisesi and the Koyunağılı Kilisesi ('Sheep Pen Church').
In theNiğde Archaeological Museum, there is a display of the mummies of a woman and four children who were entombed in the Ihlara Valley in the 10th century AD. TheAksaray Museum also has mummies from the Ihlara valley.
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