Tokalı Kilise

Description

The Tokalı Kilise is the largest ancient church in Göreme and is a part of the Göreme Open-Air Museum complex. Like most of the other buildings at the Open-Air Museum complex, the Tokalı Kilise was carved into the rock and its origins are believed to date back to the ninth or tenth century. The Tokalı Kilise is decorated by beautiful frescoes from various periods of time that have been well preserved over the years. The complex itself is divided into 4 chambers - the Old Church, the larger New Church, the Paracclesion, and the Lower Church. Tokalı Kilise is also commonly referred to as the Church of the Buckle and has seen a series of renovations that were completed in 1980. Unlike the Karanlık Kilis, the Tokalı Kilise does not require an additional entrance ticket and it is possible to enter the building with the same ticket that was purchased for the Göreme Open-Air Museum.

Ticket Price

Same ticket used for the Göreme Open-Air Museum (around 15TL per person)

Opening Hour

Open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Recommended Visit Duration

Around 1-2 hours. During the summer season, visitors are advised to visit the museum either in the morning or late in the afternoon and not during mid-day.

Suitable For

Adults, Families, Young Adults, Senior Guests

Must See

The rock architecture and the well-preserved frescoes

Prayer Facilities

Although designated prayer room facilities near Tokalı Kilise might not be available, finding prayer facilities near Tokalı Kilise will not be difficult. It is possible to enquire for a private area that can be used during prayer times or Muslim travellers can also visit some of the mosques near Tokalı Kilise such as the central mosque- which is the main mosque in Göreme - located only a few minutes away.

Halal Food

Finding Halal food near Tokalı Kilise will be quite easy. All restaurants and eateries near the museum will serve Halal food, but visitors may check about the authenticity of Halal food being sold with a quick chat with the restaurant owners, if necessary. Muslim travellers could also visit some of the Halal restaurants near Tokalı Kilise in the Göreme city centre.