The Smiling Virgin Mary

Day 14, (April 13, 2013) of our OAT's Turkey's Sacred lands and Ancient Civilizations Tour. We drive to Antioch and visit the Gümüşler Monastery

Gümüşler is a town in Niğde Province, Turkey. During Byzantine times its name was Tracias. Gümüşler Monastery is a  tenth century Byzantine monastery carved into the mountainside. 

We arrived at the beginning of the tourist season and had the monastery to ourselves. Even in high season there may be less visitors here than at the underground cities of Cappadocia, Turkey.  You can visit the church area, dining room, storage areas, and living quarters some of which are underground.

The highlights are the frescoes, especially the one of the smiling Virgin Mary.

Here she is! 

Other Frescoes

Virgin Mary with baby Jesus and adoring animals
Mary is gesturing the way to salvation.

The angel announcing the birth of a son to Mary

The Virgin Mary hearing the news

This fresco is over the altar and shows Jesus, the Virgin Mary, John the Baptist and other people.
Half of the wall surface has crumbled

 There are beautiful designs on the tall columns of the church. The altar and apse are in the center. Detail of the central fresco is above.

The Monastery

The monastery entrance is at the far left behind a tree (not in photo). Many other structures were carved into the rock

Walking around the courtyard

This is the kitchen area with a tandoor stove sunk in the ground

Under the ground level

This way out

Down another level--I didn't go...

Exit,  top right; tunnel to lower level, left