Kizir Çukor: MRA-TUR-Kiz002

Old ID Ref.: MRA-TUR-Kiz002

Üzümlü  church is one of the oldest of the Cappadocian rock-hewn churches, and is situated within a fairy chimney. It follows a square plan with a single apse and nave. Built between the 7th and 9th centuries, the interior walls of the church are ornamented with mural paintings inspired by plant vines in a chiefly red and green palette. It is to these mural paintings that the church owes its name, which in Turkish means “grape church.” The ceiling of the nave likewise presents mural paintings, but of a geometrical nature. The apse contains figural murals depicting Mary holding the infant Christ, and the sides of the nave include images of apostles and saints.

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%9Cz%C3%BCml%C3%BC_Church

https://www.goreme.com/forgotten-cave-churches.php

Further reading:

Municchia, A. C., Bartoli, F., Taniguchi, Y., Giordani, P., & Caneva, G. (2018). Evaluation of the biodeterioration activity of lichens in the Cave Church of Üzümlü (Cappadocia, Turkey). International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation, 127, 160-169.

Higuchi, R., Suzuki, T., Shibata, M., Taniguchi, Y., & Gülyaz, M. (2016). Digital non-metric image-based documentation for the preservation and restoration of mural paintings: the case of the Üzümlü Rock-hewn Church, Turkey. Virtual Archaeology Review, 7(14), 31-42.

Pelosi, C., Agresti, G., Andaloro, M., Baraldi, P., Pogliani, P., & Santamaria, U. (2013). The rock hewn wall paintings in Cappadocia (Turkey). Characterization of the constituent materials and a chronological overview. E-Preservation Science, 10, 99-108.