Red Church (Kızıl Kilise)

The Red Church (Kızıl Kilise) is a partly ruined Byzantine church standing alone on the steppe near Sivrihisar village in Aksaray’s Güzelyurt district. It takes its name from the reddish volcanic stone used to build it.

Probably built in the 6th century under Emperor Justinian I (527–565), it is considered one of the oldest Christian shrines in Cappadocia and one of the oldest known churches with a dome on a drum pierced by windows. It has been on the World Monuments Watch since 2008.

History

The church may have been dedicated to Saint Gregory of Nazianzus, one of the Cappadocian Fathers; local Greeks also called it the Monastery of Saint Panteleimon. Its proximity to the old route followed by pilgrims to Jerusalem suggests it was also a pilgrimage stop.

The British archaeologist and writer Gertrude Bell photographed and measured the church in 1907. It was used by the Turkish-speaking Christians of Sivrihisar until the 1924 population exchange and then fell into ruin. Conservation work funded by international donations began in 2011 under retired restoration professor İsmet Ağaryılmaz.

Architecture

The Red Church follows the cross-shaped plan common in central and eastern Cappadocia in the 5th and 6th centuries, built of local volcanic stone cut into regular blocks by highly skilled masons.

• A central dome on an octagonal drum
• Eight windows in the drum that flood the nave with light
• The narthex — the only later addition
• Huge, finely finished lintels hinting at an imperial or burial chapel

Getting there from Neva Apart

Neva Apart is in Aksaray city centre, a few minutes’ walk from the Zinciriye Madrasa and the Grand Mosque; the distances below are measured from our aparthotel.

The church is on the Güzelyurt–Çiftlik road near Sivrihisar village, about 55 km from Neva Apart — a 50–60-minute drive. Combine it with Güzelyurt and the Monastery Valley on the same day.

Tips for your visit

The church stands in open country with no shade; bring a hat and water in summer. Some parts may be scaffolded or closed during restoration.

At sunset the red stones glow — one of the most photogenic stops in the area.

Other places nearby

• Güzelyurt (Gelveri) – A hill town tied to Gregory of Nazianzus, with stone mansions, rock-cut churches, underground cities and the Monastery Valley — one of the most authentic towns in Cappadocia.
• Monastery Valley, Güzelyurt – Right below Güzelyurt, a quiet valley lined with rock-cut churches, chapels and dwellings — a peaceful Cappadocian walk.
• Ihlara Valley – A 14 km canyon carved by the Melendiz River into the tuff of Mount Hasan, with frescoed rock-cut churches, a green valley floor and Aksaray’s best-known hiking trail.
• Belisırma Village and Riverside Restaurants – Halfway along Ihlara Valley, with riverside restaurants on the Melendiz, rock-cut churches and a name it has carried since 1476 — the hikers’ rest stop.

Sources

• Wikipedia – Kızıl Kilise
• Wikipedia – Güzelyurt

Image credits

• The Red Church (Kızıl Kilise) near Sivrihisar village – Christian1311, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
• Remains of frescoes inside the Red Church – Christian1311, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons