Churches of Göreme

Lore & Background

The churches of Göreme originated in the 4th century when small anchorite communities, acting on the instruction of Saint Basil of Caesarea, began carving cells into the soft rock. During the iconoclastic period (725–842), decoration was minimal, often limited to symbols such as the Christian cross. After this period, new churches were dug into the rocks and richly decorated with colourful frescoes, remaining in use until the Greco-Turkish population exchange in 1923.

Tokalı Kilise, the largest church in Göreme, consists of four chambers: the Old Church, the New Church, the side chapel (parekklesion), and the Lower Church. The Old Church dates to the 10th century and was originally a single-naved barrel-vaulted church, but its apse was destroyed when the New Church was added at the end of the 10th or early 11th century. The Old Church is decorated with pale hues of red and green, while the New Church features panels of rich indigo painted with pigments from Badakshan lapis lazuli stone, whose value alone is estimated at around 31.5 pounds of gold.

The frescoes in the Old Church follow a Christological cycle based on the Gospel of James rather than the canonical Gospels, accounting for unusual sequencing such as the inclusion of the Murder of Zacchariah and the Flight of Elizabeth. The style is consistent with other imagery of the period, with figures lacking convincing volume and drapery rendered in a geometric, unnaturalistic manner. The composition as a whole reflects the progression of revelation before, during, and after Christ's life on earth.

Reader's Guide

The churches of Göreme are significant as a concentrated group of rock-cut Christian sanctuaries that preserve Byzantine art from the post-iconoclastic period, a time when figurative religious imagery was restored after the iconoclastic controversy. Their frescoes, particularly those at Tokalı Kilise, provide insight into regional artistic practices that diverged from metropolitan centers like Constantinople, such as the use of the Gospel of James for narrative sequences. The churches also illustrate the continuity of Christian monastic life in Cappadocia from the 4th century until the population exchange of 1923. The semi-isolated location of Göreme allowed for the development of distinct iconographic and stylistic traits, including the naming of anonymous biblical figures through association with objects or actions. The lavish decoration of the New Church, funded by costly lapis lazuli, suggests patronage by wealthy donors, possibly the Phokades family, though evidence remains inconclusive. These churches are a unique artistic achievement, offering a window into Byzantine provincial art and religious practice.

Did You Know?

• The frescoes in the Old Church of Tokalı Kilise are based on the Gospel of James rather than the canonical Gospels.
• The value of the lapis lazuli used in the New Church is estimated to be around 31.5 pounds of gold.
• Tokalı Kilise is the largest church in Göreme and includes a Lower Church as a separate chamber, not a crypt beneath the nave.
• The churches were in use until the Greco-Turkish population exchange in 1923.