MUSTAFAPASA (Sinasos)

MUSTAFAPASA (Sinasos)

Mustafapasa, 6km to the south of Urgup,was inhabited by Greek Orthodox families until the beginning of the 20th century. The houses,which date to the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries, display fine examples of stonework. The Goreme Valley, west of Mustafapasa, resembles a small version of the Ihlara Valley. As at Ihlara , the walls of the valley house churches and  shelters are carved from the rock and a river runs through the valley. The important churches and monasteries around Mustafapasa are the Church of Aios Vasilos the Church of Constantine-Helene, churches in the Monastery Valley and  the Church of St.Basil in the Goreme Valley. There is also medrese built during the Ottoman period and displaying fine examples stone masonry and woodcraft.

Constantine-Helene Church

From the inscription on the church this structure seems to have been built by Sultan Ahmet in 1729. Itsostentatious door is adorned with reliefs of vine  depictions. On the front face of the church there are two dragons facing each other. There are depictions of Seraphim with six arms on the back of the left dragon and a double-headed eagle on the back of the right dragon. Sunday services, ceremonies, feasts 9except school ceremonies) and welcoming ceremonies for the bishop’s guests all took place in Constantine-Helena Church, which was restored in 1850.