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Dark Church (Karanlik Kilise) The so-called Karanlik Kilise,(Dark Church) was in fact a real monastic complex.Like other monastic retreats in Goreme,the Dark Church was also built during the XI century .Unfortunately,part of its narthex or vestibule collapsed,leaving it open to the sky.The wall at the bottom of narthex bears a severaly damaged fresco with Christ`s Ascension and the Benediction of the Saints,whereas the other scenes are only partially legible ; more so to the left,where the wall collapsed.The church`s name is fully justified : in fact,and a small looking out of the narthex is the only source of light ; however,there was even less light in the past centuries,when the narthex was not short of a wall.The scenes depicted in the church represent episodes from the New Testament. |