One of the reasons I wanted to come to Cappadocia was to see the Christian influence in the region and some of the early churches. Well one of the best places to see this is at the Goreme Open Air museum or more accurately the cave churches and the church community that existed there from at least the 4th century to the 15th.
The Christian community included families as well as monks, nuns, priests and students. It was in a sense a missionary college sending out people to evangelise the region and further afield. Not much remains except there was aroma that they think was both a refectory and classroom, a long table and benches carved out of the stone.
The Christian community included families as well as monks, nuns, priests and students. It was in a sense a missionary college sending out people to evangelise the region and further afield. Not much remains except there was aroma that they think was both a refectory and classroom, a long table and benches carved out of the stone.
There were many small chapels and churches in the complex (many of which we weren't allowed to photograph but I have managed a few, one of which is an official photo.) some had simple frescoes and others that were later more elaborate ones.
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