Column Church is one of Cappadocia’s largest and most unique churches, built around 1000 AD as a community church. The church is also known as Big Cave Church and Mustafa Saçlı Kilise, and can be translated into Turkish as both Kolonlu Kilise and Direkli Kilise.
To get to Column Church, you will need to go to Red Valley, which is located about 200 meters past Joachim and Anna Church. The location is correct in Google Maps. Once you arrive, you’ll need to cross a wooden footbridge to enter the church. The church is always open and free to enter.
The main room of the church is the spacious cross-in-square nave, which measures 7.5 by 7.5 meters. Four tall pillars rise up to a distant ceiling, creating a large central dome and thin side aisles. The pillars are positioned towards the corners and have cross-shaped capitals with round circles decorating the top of each pillar. The church’s dimensions make it the largest cruciform cave church in Cappadocia.
The corner bays have domes while the transepts (side arms) have barrel vaults, all at the same height. The two corner bays in the back have simple conical domes, while the front corner bays have triangular pendentives supporting a ring and round dome. The central dome has a tall, straight drum and flat ceiling.
Moving to the front (east) of the church, you’ll find three sanctuaries. The central apse has a tall rock templon barrier with the upper crossbar remaining. The lower portion was cut into blocks to wall up the back entrance. The apse includes an attached double bench (synthronon) and a massive throne chair for the priest. The side apses are slightly smaller but functioned independently, with separate altars and templons. Both have elaborate doorframes leading into a preliminary space before the templon. The deep apses with subdivided spaces are unique features of Column Church.
Unfortunately, there are no remains of plaster or painting in the church. It is unclear whether the church remained unfinished or the plaster was improperly applied and has detached from the wall. However, a scant amount of red paint outlines architectural features, especially high up.
Moving to the back of the church, you’ll find several abnormal features. People enter the church from a pigeon room, through a staircase tunnel, and into an irregular burial room. This space has an acrosolium and recessed floor tomb, and does not resemble a typical narthex. Another room appears in the back right (southwest) corner and resembles the nave of a single-nave, barrel-vaulted church with a full templon. The carving on the decorated doorway is elaborate and detailed.
Finally, it’s worth noting that erosion from the creek below and later pigeon farmers have reshaped the church’s layout. As a result, we may never know the original design and layout of Column Church.
In summary, to visit Column Church in Red Valley, you’ll need to head to Red Valley and cross a wooden footbridge to enter the church. Inside, you’ll find a spacious cross-in-square nave with four tall pillars, three sanctuaries at the front of the church, and several abnormal features at the back of the church. Don’t forget to take in the unique and ambitious architecture, which makes Column Church one of Cappadocia’s largest and most unique churches.
