APPLE CHURCH

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.