Carved out of the volcanic tuff considerably later than the Dark Church, the walls and columns of the Church with Apple are completely covered with colorful. It is one of the most attractive churches of Cappadocia. Its murals depict the saints and apostles and episodes from the life of Christ.
Checkered bands, interlocked triangles, and squares adorn the pilasters and archivolts. The cupola and the main tympana are ornamented with zigzag patterns and White crosses, superimposed on red medallions. Large red roses decorate the extremities and the transept.
The dominating color is ochre and at places where at the surface had peeled off, on may see traces of the original, archaic designs executed in red, during the period of iconoclasm. The portraits of the saints are inscribed in archaic Greek.
Above the columns are the four apostles: John, Matthews, Mark, and Luke. In the arches, five portraits carry the names: Jonas, Moses, Daniel, Elias, and David.
Visiting the Apple Church
The Apple Church (Elmalı Kilise) dates from the 11th century and stands on the upper level of the Göreme Open Air Museum, reached by a few steps cut into the rock. It is a small cross-in-square church with four columns and a central dome, and its name most probably comes from the red globe in the hand of the Archangel Gabriel above the apse, or, according to the locals, from an apple tree that once grew in front of it.
The best-known scenes are the Pantocrator, Christ blessing from the central dome, the Last Supper, the Baptism and the Crucifixion, painted in warm ochre and red. Look closely at the places where the paint has fallen away: the simple red crosses of the older decoration are still visible underneath.
Tips for your visit
The Apple Church is visited with the same ticket as the Göreme Open Air Museum, together with the Dark Church (extra ticket) and the Buckle Church just outside. The churches are small and the visitors move in a line, so we recommend coming early in the morning, right after the balloon flight, or late in the afternoon. Please note that photographs are not allowed inside the painted churches.
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