Güzelyurt

This is the best of the old churches within the village. It was established under Emperor Theodosius in 385 BC but rebuilt in 1835. In 1924 the Greek population were deported and it became a mosque, with the bell-tower converted to a minaret and the iconostasis turned into a mihrab. Steps in the garden lead down to a cave with a holy well. Over 30 saints are called Gregory, which means "watchful shepherd". This fellow is local boy Gregory of Nazianzus (329-390) who Hellenised the early church and developed the theory of the Holy Trinity. The church was converted into a mosque after the Turkish-Greek population exchange in 1924.

Ancient, part-cave and rickety, but the oldest original feature is the 19th century fresco within the dome. There's a good view down onto St Gregory's. Anargirios means "without silver", unpaid, and refers to the third century brothers Cosmas and Damian who practised as physicians for free. They were beheaded during Diocletian's persecution. Orthodox iconography depicts them with medical boxes and spoons, and sometimes with urine flasks. In the dome, there are portraits of Jesus and Mary in the middle and the apostles on the sides.

It has over 50 ancient churches cut into the hillside, but you can enter only a couple of them. In 2022 the area is nominally open at the given times, but you may find the kiosk unattended and can explore at liberty.

It is the first one reached as you descend into the valley.

For many years used as a farmer's grain store, it has an 11th-century fresco of an angel.

9th-10th century

Had been torched at some point so the interior is bare. It's from the 9th-10th century and carved into the rock.

A clue that this isn't in the valley. It's a dinky little 19th-century building perched above the town reservoir, enclosing a Byzantine chapel. An underground passage (nowadays barred) leads who knows where. This hill has evidence of settlement back to the Neolithic Age.