Kırkdamaltı Church

Kırkdamaltı Church (Kırkdamaltı Kilisesi) is an irregular hexagonal church. It is understood from the destruction of the frescoes that the niches on the walls were mostly made later. There are graves on the floor and niches of the church. Kırkdamaltı Church, also known as is distinguished from all churches in Cappadocia with the pictures on its walls. Amirarzes Basileios, who was an administrator in the region, and his wife Tamara have built a church in the name of Saint Georgios. There are many religious depictions including Jesus Christ on the wall of the church, which was built as a rock carving. In the largest of the frescoes, Basil and his wife Tamara are depicted presenting a model of the church to St Georgios. Basileios is the Christian ruler who ruled this region on behalf of the Seljuks. In this frescoe, Basil is wearing a turban and a kaftan. In other words, he was dressed in the dress of Muslim Seljuk at that time. The depiction of a Christian ruler wearing a Turkish turban and kaftan on the church’s wall at that time is a proof of the tolerance of Turks towards Christians. They are so pleased with the Seljuks that they had the ruler painted on the wall of such an important church with a Muslim turban and kaftan. That is why we can describe Ihlara Valley as a valley of tolerance. Because again in the valley, a rock-carved church and a mosque are side by side.