Goreme Cappadocia

Goreme Cappadocia

Goreme, located 10km from Nevsehir, is an area surrounded by valleys, within the Nevsehir-Urgup-Avanos triangle. old names for Goreme are Korama, Matiana, Maccan and Avcilar. since Goreme was referred to as Korama in the earliest written document  known from the 6th century, it is thought that this was the oldest name given to the community. In that document, it is said that St. Hieron was born in Korama at the. end of 3rd century, was martyred in Melitene (modern Malatya ) with his 30 friends, and that his hand was cut off and sent to his mother in Korama.
A very large depiction of St.Hieron of Korama can be seen in the Tokali (Buckle ) Church in the Goreme open Air Museum. It is believed that Goreme and its surroundings were used as a necropolis by the people of Vanessa ( Avanos ) during the Roman Period. The monumental twin-pillared Roman tomb hollowed  out of a fairy chimney in the center of Goreme and the presence of numerous tombs in the vicinity  both support that idea. Goreme, an important Chiristian center  in the early years of the Middle Ages , was a bishopric administered by Mokissos near Aksaray in the 11th and 13th centuries. Despite the vast number of monasteries , churches and chapels in the vicinity of Goreme, there are not many inscriptions bearing dates. For this reason , these religious buildings are mainly dated according to their iconography or architectural features.