Yılanli Kilise

It was designed in a Free Greek Cross plan. The barrel-vaulted narthex is reached through the corridor located to the south of the church. To the north of the narthex there is a small funerary chapel with a transverse rectangular plan. A wide and high arched passage provides the integration of the church and the narthex. The narrow cross arms to the north, south and east surround the central space, whose ceiling is decorated with a relief cross. The apse to the east is bounded by simple chancel screens and contains an altar.

The frescoes are dated to the 9th century or to between the first half of the 11th century and the 12th century. On the narthex vault and the west wall is the Last Judgment; on the north wall -a scene not extant today- the Raising of Lazarus, the Entry into Jerusalem; on the inner face of the eastern arch, Jesus in the center, angels on the sides, on the lower piers Joachim and Anna to the north, Zechariah and Elizabeth to the south; on the vault of the eastern cross arm, the Annunciation (to Mary) to the north, the Visitation to the south; below, Ioannes Prodromos, loannes Khrysostomos; on the east face of the triumphal arch Stephanos and Gamaliel; on its inner face Solomon, Elijah, David, Enoch; in the apse dome the Ascension of Jesus; on the band below, in the center Mary enthroned with the Child Jesus, on the sides Flavariler-Simeon, Thomas, John, Luke, Paul, Peter, Matthew, Mark, Bartholomew, James, Philippus; on the vault of the north cross arm Basileios to the west, Gregorios to the east; on the wall below the Last Supper, above Christ on the Cross; on the vault of the south cross arm Athenogenes to the west, Nikolaos to the east, Mikail and Cebrail in the center; on the wall below Koimesis (the death of Mary), above Constantine and Helena; on the south wall of the southern corridor the Communion of Mary of Egypt (consecration), the Burial of Mary of Egypt; on the west wall Daniel Among the Lions; in the arcosolium in the northern funerary chapel, Deesis scenes are seen.

In addition, on the west wall there are four women attacked by snakes. The first woman is a woman who abandoned her children; she is attacked by eight snakes and is being bitten all over. The second woman is being bitten on her breasts by two snakes because she did not feed her children. The third woman is punished by snakes biting her tongue because she slandered, and the fourth woman is punished by snakes biting her ears because of her disobedience.

Source: Aksaray Governorship Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism-Culture and Tourism Guide(2012)

Places to Visit in Aksaray Address: Inside Ihlara Valley. Ihlara Town, Güzelyurt /Aksaray