Alahan Monastery in Mersin. Sights of Turkey

Описание: Alahan Monastery is a fifth-century complex of buildings located in the Isaurian Mountains, which was part of the ancient Roman province of Cilicia. It is now in southern Turkey, Mersin Province, near the town of Mut, Gecimli village. About two hours drive from the city of Mersin along a scenic road.

Although many sources call Alahan a monastery, this attribution is disputed, and more recent scholars consider it a pilgrimage shrine. The complex played a significant role in the development of early Byzantine architecture, and almost all that is known about it can be attributed to Michael Gough's excavations.

The construction of Alahan Monastery took place in two periods. The first occurred in the middle of the fifth century under Emperor Leo I, and the second occurred in the last quarter of the fifth century under Emperor Zeno. The complex includes two churches, rock-cut rooms, a baptistery - an extension to the church in the form of a separate building intended for baptism. Such a special room was necessary, since parishioners were allowed into the church only after baptism. There were also living quarters in Alahan and many other rooms, such as a forecourt, a necropolis, a bathhouse and a lower terrace. It will amaze you with its panoramic views of the mountains. There is controversy about the original purpose of the monastery, but it nevertheless became a public living space for monks and those seeking pilgrimage until the seventh century AD, after which it was abandoned. When Emperor Zeno came to power, he took over the construction and probably financed the project. The complex is an example of skillful Isaurian stonemasonry. Take your time when visiting this place, look at the details. You will discover real works of art in stone. Alahan
is a key site in the history of early Byzantine architecture, half a century before the great
achievements of Justinian in Constantinople.

At the western end of the site is a large, naturally formed cave, about 10 m high.
It used to contain many large rooms, arranged over three floors, each just over 2 m high, although it is now almost entirely empty. Inside the cave complex is a church
measuring about 7.5 m by 7.7 m. It is believed that the cave church was the first of the
monastery's churches to be built.

The western church, called the "Church of the Evangelists", is the largest of all the
monastery's churches, with overall dimensions of 36 m by 16 m. The church has the form of a basilica, with
three rows - a central nave and two side aisles. It was built after the cave church, but before the eastern church. This is the least preserved of the three churches, and
the first visitors to the site did not identify it as a church, but as a gateway to the site.
The presence of two pastophorioi proves that it was a church, and the decorations found on its decorated
gates allude to evangelism. Be sure to examine this gate carefully.

Excavations at Alahan have uncovered decorations of sculpted masonry and rich mosaics, suggesting
that the church had wealthy patronage in its day.

The uneven topography of the mountains meant that much of the cliff side had to be cut away during
its construction. Even then, the church's plan was adapted to the terrain. As a result, it does
not resemble the perfect east/west orientation that was typical of churches of the time.

If you are in Mersin, be sure to visit the Alahan Monastery.
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