Goreme Open Air Museum is a rocky settlement area that witnessed an intense monastic life between the 4th and 13th centuries. As a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1985, the Göreme Open Air Museum is also one of the most popular places to visit in Cappadocia. You will experience and enjoy well-preserved rock-cut churches adorned with frescoes and paintings from the 10th century, showcasing the finest examples of Byzantine art in Cappadocia. The region forms a valley with churches, chapels, dining halls, and seating areas carved into the rocky blocks.
The Göreme Open Air Museum houses the most significant Byzantine cave churches in the world, where monks and nuns pursued monastic life.
You can witness the best-preserved Byzantine cave wall paintings and frescoes from the Iconoclastic period to the end of the Seljuk period, along with icons depicting scenes from the Old Testament and the New Testament. In ancient times, when the locals had to secretly pray and worship, they built their temples and sanctuaries in valleys, riverbeds, and rocky places that are difficult to find.
The Elmali Church, the Dark Church, the Tokali Church, the Yilanli Church, the Basilica Chapel, the Santa Barbara Chapel, and the Santa Katharina Chapel are popular churches and chapels that are worth a visit.
