Travel tips and city guides
The Churches of Ihlara Valley: A Guide
Aksaray Guide ·
The Ihlara Valley is a 14 km canyon cut by the Melendiz river in the Güzelyurt district of Aksaray. Known in historical sources as Peristrema, it has been an important religious centre since the early centuries of Christianity. According to the Ministry of Culture’s Kültür Portalı, 105 churches have been recorded in the valley, 14 of which are open to visitors.
From the 7th century, Byzantine monks carved their homes and churches into the soft tuff laid down by the eruptions of Mount Hasan. In this guide we describe the most important churches open to visitors, in the order you meet them along the valley.
Two groups, two styles
The Ihlara churches fall into two groups by painting style. Those near Ihlara village are decorated in a local “Cappadocian” style showing eastern (Persian and Syrian) influence; most pre-date Iconoclasm (726–843), though many were repainted later. Eğritaş, Ağaçaltı, Kokar, Pürenliseki and Yılanlı belong to this group.
The churches near Belisırma reflect the 10th–11th-century metropolitan “Byzantine” style known as Macedonian art. Direkli, Kırkdamaltı, Bahattin Samanlığı and Ala Kilise are examples.
Churches at the Ihlara end
After descending the 382 steps at the Ihlara entrance, the first churches are within a few hundred metres.
Ağaçaltı Church (Daniel Pantonassa)
Thought to be dedicated to Daniel the Stylite, this cross-in-square church cut from the cliff may date to the 7th century. The Ascension in its dome pre-dates Iconoclasm, and some of the valley’s most photographed frescoes are here.
Yılanlı Church (Snake Church)
Also called the “Apocalypse Church” and possibly dedicated to Helena, mother of Constantine the Great, this cross-in-square church has an unusually long apse. Scenes of Hell from the 9th century in the narthex show four sinners in the grip of snake-like monsters — hence the modern name.
Sümbüllü Church (Hyacinth Church)
Probably 10th-century, this T-plan church marks the transition to the Macedonian style. Its paintings include Emperor Constantine VII with his wife Helena and the Apostle Paul, while the façade shows eastern influences.
Kokar, Eğritaş and Pürenliseki churches
Kokar Church is dedicated to the Apostle Andrew. Eğritaş is thought to pre-date Iconoclasm and is one of the valley’s large early churches. The four-hall Pürenliseki Church has frescoes dated between the second half of the 9th and the second half of the 11th century, including mounted Saints George and Theodore.
Churches around Belisırma
After about 3.5–4 km on the path along the valley floor you reach Belisırma village. The churches around it show the later, more “metropolitan” face of the valley.
Direkli Church (Pillar Church)
A 10th-century cruciform church whose dome rests on four tall columns painted with portraits of saints. One of the valley’s few inscriptions records its dedication in the reign of Emperor Basil II (976–1025).
Kırkdamaltı Church (St George)
Dated by its inscription to 1283–1295, it is the last known Christian building in the valley before the Cappadocian Greek church-building revival of the 19th century. Beside St George, the frescoes show the donor Basil Giakoupes in Seljuk dress with his wife Tamar, thought to be a Georgian princess.
The inscription names both the Seljuk Sultan Mesud II and the Byzantine Emperor Andronikos II Palaiologos — striking evidence that Christians and Muslims could live together peacefully in late-13th-century Cappadocia.
Bahattin Samanlığı and Ala Kilise
Bahattin Samanlığı (“Bahattin’s Barn”) is named after the man who used it as a hayloft. Probably from the first half of the 11th century, it shows scenes from the life of Christ, the Magi, the Nativity and the Crucifixion, and its inscription points to an aristocratic Byzantine donor. Ala Kilise features the Nativity, the Anastasis and the Last Supper.
The northern end: Selime
The valley ends in the north at Selime Cathedral, one of the largest rock-cut monastic complexes in Cappadocia, with a church, kitchen, stables and living quarters carved into the rock on several levels. Those who hike the whole valley from Ihlara usually end the day here among the fairy chimneys.
Mummies found in the valley also shed light on its past: the Niğde Archaeological Museum displays the mummies of a woman and four children buried in Ihlara in the 10th century, and the Aksaray Museum also holds mummies from the valley.
Tips for visiting the churches
Most churches are concentrated in the first 4 km between the Ihlara stairway and Belisırma. Allow 2–3 hours for the frescoes; a small torch helps inside the dim churches. Please do not touch the paintings or use flash.
Opening hours and fees change seasonally; check muze.gov.tr before you go. To combine the valley with other stops, see our Aksaray itineraries, and for the region’s Byzantine past, our history of Aksaray.
- Ihlara stairway → Ağaçaltı → Pürenliseki → Kokar → Yılanlı → Sümbüllü
- Around Belisırma → Direkli → Ala Kilise → Bahattin Samanlığı → Kırkdamaltı
- Selime → Selime Cathedral and the Yaprakhisar fairy chimneys
Where to stay in Aksaray
Neva Apart offers fully equipped serviced apartments with kitchens in Aksaray city centre, a few minutes’ walk from the Zinciriye Madrasa and the Grand Mosque. It is an ideal base for day trips to Ihlara, Selime, Güzelyurt and the Seljuk caravanserais.
Browse our apartments, read guest reviews or contact us for bookings and route tips. Every stop is listed on our things to do in Aksaray page.
Sources
Image credits
- Byzantine-era fresco in the Ağaçaltı Church, Ihlara Valley – smus, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Rock-cut entrance of the Yılanlı (Snake) Church in Ihlara Valley – Ji-Elle, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Fresco of Basil Giakoupes and Tamar flanking Saint George in the Kırkdamaltı (St George) Church – Kabz15, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Rock-cut rooms and passages inside Selime Monastery – Jose Huwaidi, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons