AKSARAY
Discovery of a mosque and a church next to each other which were cut into rocks in the world-famous Ihlara Valley, Cappadocia, has brought to light the reality that Muslims and Christians lived together in the same period of time.
Curator of the Aksaray Museum, Yusuf Altin, told AA on Wednesday that their works and projects on discovery of cultural assets in Ihlara Valley continue.
He said that the number of cultural assets rose from 12 to 45 during recent works and they were excited when they found the mosque.
He highlighted that it was the first time they came across a rock-cut mosque which had changed the common knowledge about the Ihlara Valley, the largest settlement area of Cappadocia.
"There was also a rock-cut church found next to the mosque. This reveals that in the same period of time there were Muslims and Christians living together in Ihlara. Also both places of worships are so close to each others," said Altin.
"The Mosque has inner dome and dome roof which is interesting. It does not take attention from outside but the inside of the mosque is fascinating. It has a door which opens directly outside. The most important feature of this mosque is that it has been built next to a church. Church has a different entrance and then it connects with the underground city. We discovered an important cultural asset by finding the mosque and the church next to each other," said Yusuf Altin.
Ihlara is a town famous with the nearby valley, Ihlara Valley. The Valley is unique because of its history and civilizations. The whole valley has rock-cut underground dwellings and churches from the Byzantines. Ihlara is 100 km away from the Nevsehir province.
Cappadocia is a historical region in Nevsehir in central Anatolia. Cappadocia is a world-famous town with its exceptional natural wonders, especially with its "fairy chimneys" and a unique historical and cultural heritage. Persians, Assyrians, Greeks and Hittites all lived in Cappadocia. Turkish tribes started settling in the region in the Middle Ages.
Reporting by Ersin Altinsoy/Oner Tas
