Çavuşin Church of St John the Baptist and the old village cliff

The Church of St John the Baptist (Vaftizci Yahya Kilisesi) stands high on the rock above the abandoned old village of Çavuşin and is commonly described as one of the oldest rock-cut churches in the region. It is reached by steps, and part of its facade has collapsed. Close by is the church usually called the Great Pigeon House Church, whose frescoes are associated with the Byzantine emperor Nikephoros II Phokas. Çavuşin has three hotels in our catalogue, all in the cave category and all with a balloon view, but none of their records mentions a church; only 2 of the 80 records mention one at all. This guide explains what you can see, why the cliff is fenced in places, and how to fit the visit into a day. It gives no prices, hours or dates stated as fact.

The old village cliff

Above the present village a cliff face is honeycombed with rooms: houses, storerooms and chapels cut into the rock, with stairs and doorways still visible. The old village was left in the 20th century. Rockfall is the reason usually given, and the residents moved to new houses on safer ground nearby. The same story is told at Zelve, further along the same road, where an entire valley village was emptied for the same reason.

That is why the rock deserves respect today. The soft tuff that made it easy to carve is the same material that cracks and falls. Keep to marked paths, follow any fencing and signs, and do not climb into unmarked openings. A fenced area is closed for a reason.

What to look for on the cliff

Look at the doorways first. They are cut at different heights, and some now open onto empty air where a floor or a stair has fallen away; that gap is the clearest picture of what rockfall did. You may also see cut stairs that end abruptly, niches and storage rooms, and ceilings darkened by fire where kitchens stood. None of this needs a ticket or a guide, but all of it is best read from the paths, not from inside.

The church of St John the Baptist

The dedication is to John the Baptist, known in Turkish as Vaftizci Yahya. The church is commonly described as one of the oldest rock-cut churches in the region, which makes it a good place to start with the region’s rock-cut churches. Rock churches are made by removing stone, so the plan, the vaults and even the columns are carved rather than built, and carvers often imitated the shapes of built churches in the rock. Where painting survives, it is a record of decoration from one or more periods, and what you can see depends on conservation work.

You reach the church by steps. Part of its facade has collapsed, which is a visible reminder of the rockfall usually given as the reason the village was left. The steps can be steep and worn, so go carefully, and do not expect to be able to enter every part: sections may be closed for safety or conservation.

The Nicephorus Phocas church

Nearby is the church often called the Nicephorus Phocas church or the Great Pigeon House Church (Büyük Güvercinlik). Its frescoes are associated with the Byzantine emperor Nikephoros II Phokas, who reigned 963–969, and it is usually dated to the 10th century. It is among the better-known painted churches on the northern line of sights, which runs from Göreme through Çavuşin to Avanos. As with every painted interior, follow the rules posted at the door: flash and touching damage old plaster.

Churches here can close for conservation or safety, and the arrangements for entry change. Check the official source of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and ask your hotel on the day, before you plan around any single one. For a museum-run set of painted churches near Göreme, see the Göreme Open-Air Museum guide.

A note on names

Sources use several names for these churches. The first appears as the Church of St John the Baptist in English and Vaftizci Yahya Kilisesi in Turkish. The second appears as the Nicephorus Phocas church, Nikephoros Phokas church, Great Pigeon House Church or Büyük Güvercinlik. These are variant spellings and names for the same two buildings, not extra churches, so a guide who uses a different name is not contradicting this one.

Planning the visit

• Allow a short stop. The church and the cliff are a walk and a look, not a half-day site, and they sit on the road between Göreme and Zelve.
• Footwear. Shoes with grip for steep, worn steps; the rock is smooth.
• Heat. In Nevşehir the average July maximum is 28.5 °C with about 12 hours of sun a day, and there is little shade on the cliff, so go early or late.
• Cold and wet. The January average minimum is −3.6 °C and steps can be icy; April averages about 12 rainy days (MGM, 1959–2025). Wet rock is slippery.
• Children. Hold hands on the steps and keep away from drops and fenced rock.
• Closures. Check before you go; this guide states no fee or opening times.

How it fits with the rest of the village

Çavuşin is the first village on the northern line and the usual starting point for the Rose and Red valley walks, which are described in Rose Valley and Red Valley. North of it come Zelve and Paşabağ. The Çavuşin guide covers the village itself, and the 3-day itinerary puts the whole northern line on day 2. A simple plan: church and old village in the morning, Zelve and Paşabağ next, and the Rose Valley walk in the late afternoon.

The three hotels

All three Çavuşin records are cave hotels with a balloon view. This is what each states:

Hotel	Area / address	Rooms	Balloon view	Valley view	Airport transfer
Atax Cave House	Yukarı	not recorded	yes	no	no
Azure Cave Suites	2nd Cluster Area	not recorded	yes	yes	yes
Seki Cave Hotel	2. Küme Evler	16	yes	yes	yes

Azure Cave Suites, pictured at the top, lies inside Göreme National Park and lists double, twin, jacuzzi and fireplace suites. Seki Cave Hotel has 16 rooms, each with a fireplace, and is pet-friendly. Atax Cave House names Göreme, Ürgüp and Avanos as nearby and serves breakfast on its terrace. None states a distance to the church, so ask the hotel which route up to the cliff it suggests. All three are in the Çavuşin section of the hotel list. After choosing, you can book through gocappadocia.com, the regional booking platform created through the combined efforts of 175 Cappadocia hoteliers, with a best-price guarantee; this guide takes no commission.