Kırkdamaltı Church
Kırkdamaltı Church is an irregular hexagonal church. It is understood from the destruction of the frescoes that the niches in the walls were mostly built later. Graves can be seen on the floor and niches of the church. Kırkdamaltı Church, also known as St. Georgios Church, is distinguished from all churches in Cappadocia by the paintings on its walls. Amirarzes Basileios and his wife Tamara, who were the rulers in the region, had a church built in the name of St. Georgios. There are many religious depictions of Jesus Christ on the wall of the church, which was made as a rock carving. In the largest of the murals, Basileios and his wife Tamara are depicted presenting a model of the church to St. Georgios.
Basil is the Christian ruler who ruled this region on behalf of the Seljuks. In a picture, Basil has a turban on his head and a caftan. In other words, he is in the Muslim Seljuk clothes of that period. The presence of a Christian ruler with a Turkish turban and caftan on the church wall is proof of the tolerance of Turks towards Christians at that time. They are so pleased with the Seljuks that they have their picture painted on the wall of such an important church with a Muslim turban and caftan. For this reason, it is very important in terms of Cappadocia and Turkish history. For this reason, we can describe Ihlara Valley as a valley of tolerance. Because there is a rock-carved church and a mosque side by side in the valley.
