Writer: Yavuz İşçen
August 2010

As a typical Greek village of Cappadocia, Özlüce is a cute settlement bound to Derinkuyu district. The history of Özlüce goes back to the 4th Century B.C. The name “Zile” used till the population exchange is known to be derived from her Medieval name “Zeila”. Before the Exchange, in the village known with Greek population in the beginning of 1900s there were 350 Greek houses and 20 Turkish houses recorded.

Holy Apostles Church
The village has a cross-planned Post-Byzantion church left from the Greek population and built with face stones. The building is used as a mosque and known as “Twelve Apostles Church”. It is seen in the Greek inscription mounted on the head of the entrance door that the building was named “Holy Apostles Church”. The church was opened to service on 16 March 1849 in the period of Ottoman Sultan Abdülmecid the 1st. Some scenes from the Old Testament were depicted on both side faces of the entrance door of the church which was built with financial contributions of Greek population of the village and Konya Metropolitan Bishop Neofitos. On the left hand of the entrance the story of ‘three Jewish youngsters are being set on fire’, and on the right hand some worn-out ‘Prophet Abraham sacrifice his son’ were scened. The other significant elements at the Holy Apostles Church are the grape shape ornaments surrounding the entrance door, and rich woodwork embroidery inside the church. Following Greek population’s leaving the region due to the exchange in 1924, the church was turned to a mosque by adding a minaret and a mihrap (niche of a mosque indicating the direction of Mecca) in 1935.

Maşatlık Church
The village has another church in a very neglected condition in Maşatlık location. The building as known Maşatlık Church with Post-Byzantion characteristics was constructed with face stones. The rectangular planned church with single apse having outer extension has been thought to be older than Holy Apostles Church which was opened to service in 1849.

Monastery Elementary School
The fact is that Greek population in the village constructed a school bound to the church in 1892. The school known as ‘Monastery Elementary School’ was built with face stones. It has a big garden surrounded by walls. The building lied fallow around ten years following Greeks’ leaving. It was reopened to education in 1935 with some arrangements.

Özlüce Underground City
The underground city presents a horizontally structured single storey that still needs to be unveiled. The part extending to the keystone is newer than the rest of the extensive underground city. The keystone is granite and has about 2 meters of diameter. Rock engraved spaces of the city come across after the keystone. There are partitions once used as a storage of supply, and several rooms.

Note: This article has been published in Peribacası Cappadocia Culture and Publicity Magazine, August 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