Yilanli Kilise / Snake Church - Göreme Open Air Museum (Nevsehir Province, Turkey)
N 38° 38.303 E 034° 50.716
36S E 660601 N 4278263
The Yilanli Kilise (Snake Church), built around 1000, is one of famous ancient in tufa soft rock carved Orthodox Greek churches located in monastic complex of Göreme Open Air Museum in Göreme (Nevsehir Province of Turkey).
Waymark Code: WMKJZD
Location: Türkiye
Date Posted: 04/23/2014
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The Yilanli Kilise (Snake Church), built around 1000, is one of famous ancient in tufa soft rock carved Orthodox Greek churches located in monastic complex of Göreme Open Air Museum in Göreme (Nevsehir Province of Turkey).
Frescoes inside the Snake Church
Yilanli Kilise has a linear plan, consisting of two chambers. The front section is barrel-vaulted, while the back one has a flat ceiling. The red ochre ornaments imitate hewn stone plait. Frescoes dated to the 11th century, are painted directly on the wall. Opposite the entrance, there is an image of Christ with a book in his hand, and at his left, on both sides of a large cross, are Emperor Constantine and Helena. Right next to it, the Killing of the Snake by St. George and St. Theodore is depicted. On the opposite wall, Onophrios can be seen with a sapling in front of him, also the Apostle Thomas, and the founder of the building, St. Basileios holding a book in one hand and sanctifying with the other.