The story of the Göreme Open-Air Museum
From the 10th to the 12th centuries, a community of monks carved churches, chapels, dining halls and cells into the soft volcanic rock of this valley. Many walls are covered with frescoes of biblical scenes in rich colours.
The Dark Church (Karanlık Kilise), which needs a separate ticket, kept its paintings remarkably fresh because so little light entered. The site is part of the Göreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985.
