Red Church (Güzelyurt)

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Kizil Kilise Red Church

Kısıl Kilise (Sivrihisar) 01.jpg

Denomination : orthodox
Patronage : Gregory of Nazianz
Consecration year : 6th century
Address: Sivrihisar , Güzelyurt

Coordinates: 38 ° 15 ′ 36 ″  N , 34 ° 25 ′ 48 ″  E The Red Church ( Turkish Kızıl Kilise ) is an early Byzantine church from the 5th to 6th centuries in the village of Sivrihisar in the Güzelyurt districtof Turkey , which is now partially collapsedProvince Aksaray . The church takes its name from the red volcanic stone of its masonry. Other names are Sivrihisar Kızıl Kilise (after the next town) and Haçlarlar Kilisesi (German: Church with Crosses ) after the cross frescoes above the doors and windows. The Christian building has been on the World Monuments Watch list since 2008. Almost nothing has been preserved of their fresco decorations.

Background and story

Kızıl Kilise (Sivrihisar), fresco

The Red Church, which was probably built in the sixth century during the reign of the Byzantine emperor Justinian I (r. 527-565), is one of the oldest free-standing Christian houses of worship in the Cappadocia region . The church was probably dedicated to Saint Gregory of Nazianzen , one of the Cappadocian church fathers .

In central and eastern Cappadocia of the 5th and 6th centuries, churches with cruciform floor plans were standard. The Red Church follows this form of planning and consists of local volcanic rock. The central dome, which is built on an octagonal drum , is characteristic of the Red Church . Eight windows in the drum provide the nave with light. The only later addition to the building is the narthex . High lintels and professionally machined granite blocks suggest it was used as an imperial or burial chapel. Pilgrims crossing Anatolia along an ancient route on their way to Jerusalem can easily reach the church.

The British archaeologist and writer Gertrude Bell (1868–1926) photographed and measured the Red Church in 1907.

Measures to save the building

Aisle of the Kızıl Kilise ("red church") in Sivrihisar, Güzelyurt (Aksaray)
Kızıl Kilise ("Red Church") in Sivrihisar, Güzelyurt (Aksaray)

Since 2002 the association Les amis de la Cappadoce has taken care of the severely neglected church. A fund from international donations was established until 2009, so that from 2010 excavations and investigations could be carried out under the direction of the Museum Aksaray ( Turkish Aksaray Müzesi ). The remains of a small village, a well and a small chapel, probably from the 4th century, about 100 m north of the church were discovered. By 2011, an international fundraising raised € 500,000 and the Turkish government started a program to rebuild the Red Church. İsmet Ağaryılmaz, a retired professor who previously taught restoration techniques at Yildiz Technical University , led the project. By 2014, the roof of the drum had been re-covered and the outer walls cleaned and supported.

In the vicinity is the monastery valley of Güzelyurt with three underground cities and numerous rock-hewn churches and cave monasteries as well as the Byzantine castle ruins Sivrihisar (German: tip castle ).

literature

  • Nikolaos K. Mutsopulos: Hē "Kokkinē Ekklēsia" (Kızıl Kilise) konta sto Sivri Hisar tēs Kappadokias. Paratērēseis kai Problematismoi . Thessaloniki 2007, ISBN 978-960-7265-72-2 .
  • Sema Doğan: Kappadokia Bölgesi Sivrihisar'daki Kızıl Kilise . Istanbul 2008, ISBN 978-605-396-036-2 .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b French group vows to save Cappadocia's historic 'Red Church'. (No longer available online.) In: Today's Zaman . May 25, 2007, archived from the original on October 26, 2014 ; accessed on September 2, 2014 .
  2. ^ Projets de sauvegarde. Association des Amis de la Cappadoce, accessed August 31, 2014 (French).
  3. ↑ a b Red Church. World Monuments Fund , accessed September 2, 2014 .
  4. ↑ a b c d Centuries-old church rescued in Cappadocia. In: Hürriyet Daily News . June 10, 2012, accessed September 2, 2014 .
  5. ↑ a b c d Les Amis de Cappadoce: Kızıl Kilise - The Red Church. (No longer available online.) In: www.wmf.org. World Monuments Fund, formerly the original ; accessed on October 8, 2014 .  ( Page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.@1@ 2Template: Dead Link / www.wmf.org  
  6. ^ Richard Krautheimer : "Early Christian and Byzantine Architecture". 1986, p. 164.
  7. ^ Cappadocia loving French association to save Red Church. In: Hürriyet Daily News . May 25, 2007, accessed October 14, 2014 .
  8. ↑ Pat Yale: In the footsteps of Gertrude Bell. (No longer available online.) In: Today's Zaman . April 28, 2014, archived from the original on September 3, 2014 ; accessed on September 2, 2014 .