Çavuşin
A rock-wall village north of Göreme. The cliff-top Church of St. John the Baptist is among Cappadocia's oldest churches and is the starting point for the Rose Valley hike.
Çavuşin village backs onto a giant cliff riddled with caves. The old village has largely been abandoned due to rockfalls, and its residents moved to the new village below. Climbing the rock wall brings you to the 5th-century Church of St. John the Baptist, considered one of the oldest churches in the region. It contains surviving wall paintings, and from the clifftop you can overlook the village and the distant valleys. Beside the village entrance road stands the 10th-century Nicephorus Phocas Church, whose paintings commemorate a visit by Byzantine emperor Nikephoros II Phokas. It requires a separate ticket. Climbing the old village is free or costs a small fee. The paths are steep and gravelly, so wear non-slip shoes. Çavuşin is the main starting point for the Rose Valley and Red Valley hikes and sunset ATV rides, about 10 minutes by taxi from Göreme.
Opening hours
Open all day (church approx. 08:00–17:00)
Nearby sights
- Paşabağ (Monks Valley)
- Love Valley (Hot Air Balloon Viewpoint)
- Zelve Open-Air Museum
- Rose Valley / Red Valley
- Göreme Town & Cave Hotels
- Göreme Open-Air Museum
- Avanos
- Devrent Valley (Imagination Valley)