For a long time, until the Seljuk State began to rule in Cappadocia, which has hosted many civilizations for thousands of centuries, Christians lived in these lands. For this reason, you will come across many churches on your trip to Cappadocia. However, each of them was built in different periods and if you look around carefully during your tour, you can observe that there are significant differences in their styles and movements. One of these churches that you must see is the Çarıklı church.
Çarıklı church is one of the many churches in Göreme open air museum. It is located front to back with the St. Catherine’s chapel, which you will encounter after you enter the museum area. However, in order to reach Çarıklı church, you must first climb a ladder. When you climb this iron staircase, the centuries-old church will greet you.
Çarıklı church was designed not to be used as a living space in its time. There is a cafeteria downstairs. The table in the dining hall was obtained by carving the rocks, like many objects in Cappadocia. The surroundings of this table, which is completely handcrafted, is; It is used as a sitting area.
The church, which has an important place in Christian culture, has two columns in the “last meal” scene. The main apse in the original of the building had a templon design. However, it was destroyed over time. Today, however; 3 vaulted and four domed apses remain.
There are various rumors about where the church got its name. The most accepted of the rumors is; They are drawings that express the ascension of Jesus into the sky, which are also in the church. The footprints in these drawings were interpreted as “çarik” and the building started to be known as Çarıklı church.
Although the exact date of construction of the Carıklı church is not known, it is estimated to coincide with the 12th and 13th centuries.
Çarıklı church is one of the churches in Göreme open air museum. Since there are many places to visit and see in this region, you will not have any problems with transportation. Public transport is active.
It is located 5 km from the center of Göreme and if you have a car, it is possible to reach the church within minutes. If you do not have a vehicle, you can use the Göreme minibuses and consider visiting the region with tours. In addition, bicycle rental services are extremely common, especially in the Göreme region.
When you go to Çarıklı church, you should keep in mind that the church in Göreme open air museum can be visited within certain hours. The museum, which opens at 08:00 in winter months, welcomes guests until 17:00. In summer, the closing time of the museum extends until 19.00.
Where is Carikli Church Map
Carikli Church Photo
