View source for Zelve Monastery

{{short description|Byzantine-era monastery in Turkey}}
{{Eastern Orthodox sidebar}}
[[Image:Zelve Cappadocia.JPG|thumb|left|225px|Rock dwelling in a [[fairy chimney]] at Zelve]]
The '''Zelve Monastery''' is a [[Byzantine]]-era monastery that was carved into the rock in pre-[[Byzantine Iconoclasm|iconoclastic]] times. It is part of the [[Zelve Open Air Museum]],  located between [[Ürgüp]] and [[Avanos]], [[Turkey]].<ref name=lp>{{Cite book| publisher = Lonely Planet| isbn = 978-1-74360-531-8| last1 = Planet| first1 = Lonely| last2 = Bainbridge| first2 = James| last3 = Atkinson| first3 = Brett| last4 = Butler| first4 = Stuart| last5 = Fallon| first5 = Steve| last6 = Gourlay| first6 = Will| last7 = Lee| first7 = Jessica| last8 = Maxwell| first8 = Virginia| title = Lonely Planet Turkey| date = 2015-03-01}}</ref>

==Remains==
The remains of the Zelve monastery complex are located on the northern slopes of [[Aktepe, Hassa|Aktepe]], 1&nbsp;km from [[Paşa Bağlari]] and 10&nbsp;km out from [[Göreme]] on the [[Avanos]] road. Zelve does not have the rich frescoes of Göreme and other [[Cappadocia]]n locations. Zelve is spread out over three valleys, of which two are connected by a tunnel. The complex contains innumerable rooms and passages which also house many pointed [[fairy chimney]]s with large stems, at about 40 feet above the valley floor.

The valley was a monastic retreat between the 9th and 13th centuries.<ref name= lp/> The site was inhabited until 1952 when villagers were relocated to nearby Aktepe due to safety concerns.<ref name=lp /> 

Cappadocia's first seminaries to train priests are located here at the monastery. Dating back to the early years of monastery life in Zelve is the Direkli Church (with the famed columns). Direkli is located at the bottom of the slope. The main decorations are [[iconoclasm|iconoclast]]ic-doctrine high relief crosses. The valley  also contains the Balikli Kilise (Fish), Üzümlü Kilise (Grapes) churches and the now totally collapsed Geyikli Kilise (Deer church). These churches date to the pre-iconoclastic period.

The area was inhabited until 1952, when the last inhabitants moved to the new town Yeni Zelve ("New Zelve"), 2&nbsp;km away. In 1967, Zelve was turned into an [[open-air museum]].

The area also contains houses, a tunnel joining two of the valleys, a mill (without sails), and a small mosque. Several [[dovecote]]s are found in the valley.

==References==
<references />
*[http://www.cappadociaonline.com/zelve.html Zelve Info]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20071010100631/http://www.maxiturkey.com/wiki/Biblical_Places Covers biblical historic areas in Turkey]

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[[Category:Churches of Göreme]]
[[Category:Greek Orthodox monasteries in Turkey]]
[[Category:Christian buildings and structures in the Roman Empire]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Nevşehir Province]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Nevşehir Province]]
[[Category:Byzantine Iconoclasm]]
[[Category:Byzantine monasteries in Turkey]]


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