WITH HOUSES, SCHOOLS, CHURCHES, LIBRARY, BATHS and FOUNTAINS

Writer: Yavuz İşçen

May 2010

After the conversion scheme in 1924, the Greeks living in Nevşehir, created a district on the skirt of “Kahveci Mountain”. Today inhabitants call the area Greek District and it was configured like an ancient Greek amphitheater with stairs from top to the bottom. Within the district beside the dashing houses, there are fountains, bazaar, shops, various schools, library, two churches and a bath. This district, where the Greeks were living in welfare, became neglected as they left with 1924 conversion scheme. We would like to give brief information about the buildings of Greek District which were able to reach today.

Virgin Mary Church (Koimesis Theotoku Church)

It used to be located in the Greek district, on the skirt of Kahveci Mountain in Nevşehir Centrum. Today the district is known as Cumhuriyet. The building was able to reach today but it is much neglected. It is assumed that the name comes from the scene of “Death of Virgin Mary (Koimesis)” on its wall; today the church is named as Virgin Mary Church. It is known that the church was constructed on 1849. It was made of cut off stone and the basilica with 5 naves can be seen from the outside. There is a front line with an arch carried by the columns on the exterior part. On this part there are 13 columns; two of them are sink into the walls and the others are free holder. When the building was constructed a bell tower has been situated on the nave, situated on the left side of the church exterior. The height of the bell tower was almost the same with the height of the roof. Today, the bell tower is vanished.

Çanlı Church (Hagios Georgios Church)

It is in the same district of Virgin Mary Church. The Church has been constructed in the area where İbrahimpaşa Primary School, which is demolished and malfunction today. Only the 4 floored bell tower and some wall ruins were able to reach today. It is known that the Church was constructed on 1797. In 1890, the dome, in 1885 the women part and in 1870, 4 floored bell tower in the yard were added. In 1992, the bell tower, made of cut off stone was taken into the restoration program by Ministry of Culture. Today, it can be visited in the school yard.

The Greek Bath

It is in the same district of Virgin Mary Church. It has a big garden surrounded by high exterior walls. The construction date is not known exactly but it is assumed that it was constructed at the beginning of 1800. It is known that the water for the bath was brought by the tunnels constructed from Gore direction on 1812 with the initiative of Greek community. Today the Greek Bath is mostly vanished and during the last years some part of the dome is collapsed. The structure is known with wall decorations and two headed eagle relief on the facade over the entrance but most of the decorations are perished today.

Note: This article has been published in Peribacası Cappadocia Culture and Publicity Magazine, May 2010 issue. It is under protection of the copyrights of the magazine. No part of this article may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by electronic, mechanical or other means without prior permission from the owner. www.cappadociaexplorer.com