Gülşehir Open-Air Museum (Karşı Kilise)
Gülşehir Açık Hava Müzesi
A little-known rock-cut heritage site in northwestern Cappadocia. The 13th-century murals in St. John's Church (Karşı Kilise) are vividly colored, and there is also a group of rock-cut monasteries.
Gülşehir lies about 20 km northwest of Avanos. On the rock south of town are several monasteries and churches carved into the stone. The most worthwhile is St. John's Church (Karşı Kilise), a two-level rock-cut church. Its paintings, dated 1212, depict scenes such as the Last Supper and the Last Judgment, and the colors are especially vivid after restoration. Nearby, the Açıksaray Open-Air Museum features a group of oddly shaped rock-carved palaces and stables. Both sites have very low admission fees (priced in lira; the museum pass is valid) and few visitors. You need a car or a hired vehicle. The sites are often visited on the same day as Avanos and Sarıhan Caravanserai, and a visit takes 1-1.5 hours.
Opening hours
About 08:00–17:00
Nearby sights
- Uçhisar Castle
- Love Valley (Hot Air Balloon Viewpoint)
- Pigeon Valley
- Avanos
- Çavuşin
- Göreme Town & Cave Hotels
- Paşabağ (Monks Valley)
- Göreme Open-Air Museum