Zelve Monastery
Encyclopedia
Zelve Monastery was carved into the rock in pre-Iconoclastic times.
The remains of the Zelve monastery complex is located on the northern slopes of Aktepe
, 1 km from Paşa Bağlari and 10 km out from Göreme
on the Avanos
road. Zelve does not have the rich frescoes of Göreme and other Cappodocian locations. Spread out over three valleys, of which two are connected by a tunnel, the monastery is still rich in its own beauty. The complex contains innumerable rooms and passages which also house many pointed fairy chimneys with large stems, at about 40 feet above the valley floor.
Zelve, though recently uninhabited, was an important settlement and religious area during the 9th and 13th centuries. The Christians moved to Zelve during the Persian and Arab invasions.
Cappodocia's first seminaries to train priests are located here at the monastery. Dating back to the early years of monastery life in Zelve is the Direkli Church (with the Columns). Direkli is located at the bottom of the slope. The main decorations are Iconoclast
ic-doctrine high relief crosses. The valley also contains the Balikli Kilise (Fish), Üzümlü Kilise (Grapes) churches and the now totally collapsed Geyikli Kilise (Deer church). These churches date to the Pre-Iconoclastic period.
The area was inhabited until 1952, when the last inhabitants moved to the new town Yeni Zelve, 2 km away. In 1967 Zelve was turned into an open-air museum.
The area also contains houses, a tunnel joining two of the valleys, a mill (without sails), and a small mosque
. Several dovecotes
are found in the valley.
Aktepe
- Geography :Aktepe at is a part of Hassa district of Hatay Province. It is south of Hassa and north of Antakya, the capital of the province. The population is 8200 as of 2010 It is planned to relocate 296 families to Aktepe from various villages...
, 1 km from Paşa Bağlari and 10 km out from Göreme
Göreme
Göreme , located among the "fairy chimney" rock formations, is a town in Cappadocia, a historical region of Turkey. It is in the Nevşehir Province in Central Anatolia and has a population of around 2,500 people....
on the Avanos
Avanos
Avanos , is a town and district of Nevşehir Province in the Central Anatolia region of Turkey, located north of Nevşehir, the capital city of the province. It is situated within the historic and touristic region of Cappadocia. According to 2000 census, population of the district is 35,145 of which...
road. Zelve does not have the rich frescoes of Göreme and other Cappodocian locations. Spread out over three valleys, of which two are connected by a tunnel, the monastery is still rich in its own beauty. The complex contains innumerable rooms and passages which also house many pointed fairy chimneys with large stems, at about 40 feet above the valley floor.
Zelve, though recently uninhabited, was an important settlement and religious area during the 9th and 13th centuries. The Christians moved to Zelve during the Persian and Arab invasions.
Cappodocia's first seminaries to train priests are located here at the monastery. Dating back to the early years of monastery life in Zelve is the Direkli Church (with the Columns). Direkli is located at the bottom of the slope. The main decorations are Iconoclast
Iconoclasm
Iconoclasm is the deliberate destruction of religious icons and other symbols or monuments, usually with religious or political motives. It is a frequent component of major political or religious changes...
ic-doctrine high relief crosses. The valley also contains the Balikli Kilise (Fish), Üzümlü Kilise (Grapes) churches and the now totally collapsed Geyikli Kilise (Deer church). These churches date to the Pre-Iconoclastic period.
The area was inhabited until 1952, when the last inhabitants moved to the new town Yeni Zelve, 2 km away. In 1967 Zelve was turned into an open-air museum.
The area also contains houses, a tunnel joining two of the valleys, a mill (without sails), and a small mosque
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
. Several dovecotes
Dovecotes
Dovecotes is a housing estate at Barnhurst, Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England. It is situated NNW of the city centre and neighbours Pendeford which is adjacent to the border with Staffordshire, within the Oxley ward of Wolverhampton City Council....
are found in the valley.