Göreme / Nevşehir · History

Göreme Open-Air Museum

An archaeological site with rock-cut churches and traces of monastic life. Check the official museum page for entry and visiting conditions. Monastic life between the fourth and thirteenth centuries is reflected in rock-cut refectories and living spaces as well as churches. Geometric decoration and figurative narratives offer different painting traditions to compare. The Culture Portal distinguishes painting directly on prepared rock from secco and fresco techniques on plaster. Looking at the surface and technique, alongside the stories depicted, helps explain these differences.