Life in the Depths of History; Cappadocia Open Air Museums

The Cappadocia region is full of open-air museums. The presence of vast living areas in the region and the protection of these places due to their historical values resulted in many open-air museums. These museums are the areas where real life prevailed in the depths of history and have survived to the present day in its natural state. Therefore, these museums are of great value as they reflect real experience. However, both the natural causes and the trips of the visitors in these areas affect these works to be worn out and damaged in the long run. The most popular open-air museum in the Cappadocia region is located in Göreme. Particularly, the presence of many different structures in a small area attracts the attention of visitors. Besides this, there are many other open-air museums of various sizes. However, in this research, popular open-air museums that receive the most visitors as tourism destinations will be introduced.

Göreme Open Air Museum

Göreme Open Air Museum is located on the 2nd kilometer of the road from Göreme city center, known as the heart of Cappadocia, to Ortahisar. It is within walking distance to Göreme city center. It is an open-air museum where living spaces, churches, monasteries and chapels were mostly shaped and created by carving the rocks. This area was included in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List in 1985.

In Göreme Open Air Museum there are mostly traces of early Christianity. This place is thought to have been an important living center from the 4th century AD to the 13th century. This region is presented as the starting place of monastic education in Christianity. It is known that similar education systems started later in Ihlara, Soğanlı, and Açıksaray regions (Kültür Portalı, 2021). The frescoes in Churches and monasteries are similar to the frescoes in other parts of the country. The open-air museum is in the form of a complex and today a certain part is surrounded. There are many large and small churches, dining halls, living quarters, and monasteries in the complex. However, some buildings are closed to visitors due to their risky states. Currently, approximately 18 churches are closed due to risk.

The Monastery of the Monks, Dark Church, Elmalı Church, St. Catherine and Barbara Chapel, St. Basil’s Chapel, Çarıklı Church, Boys and Girls Monastery and Tokalı Church are the most popular churches that are open to visitors in the museum. The architectural structure of the churches is divided into two categories as serpentine and columnar. Serpentine churches are independent from each other and do not contain a certain storytelling while columnar churches display a certain storytelling with their wall paintings as they reflect unity.

Pasabag Open Air Museum

Paşabağ Open Air Museum is located between Göreme and Avanos. It is in the valley section on the right after passing Çavuşin. Paşabağ Valley is famous for its unique mushroom-shaped fairy chimneys and the churches and settlements inside the open-air museum. Before it was converted into an open-air museum, there was a road passing through the current site. However, after it was taken under protection as an open-air museum, the course of the road changed and diverted around the museum. Rather than the churches and the structures in Paşabağ, Fairy chimneys in the form of hats are more famous than the churches and structures in Paşabağ.

In the valley, the fairy chimneys that are very old are being eroded and therefore there is a risk of falling hats. However, the young fairy chimneys are still in the process of a new formation. Some young fairy chimneys take shape as twins and separate over time. The valley is also known as the Valley of the Monks. Paşabağ is generally overshadowed by the Göreme Open Air Museum. After visiting Göreme open-air museum, visitors do not tend to visit Paşabağ thoroughly. Mostly they take photos in the section where the fairy chimneys are located and go to the next destination.

Zelve Open Air Museum

Zelve Open Air Museum is located approximately 2 km south of Paşabağ. Zelve contains very different structures and has a very protected but wide area. The structures were generally built by carving the stones of two valleys. Due to the location of the valley, it is a very sheltered structure. Zelve Open Air Museum is also on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List.

Zelve Open Air Museum is located approximately 2 km south of Paşabağ. Zelve contains very different structures and has a very protected but wide area. The structures were generally built by carving the stones of two valleys. Due to the location of the valley, it is a very sheltered structure. Zelve Open Air Museum is also on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List.

Please click here to learn more opportunities to travel Turkey!