Selime

Selime Cathedral is the largest monastery in the region. Also known as the Selime Monastery or Selime Castle, the cathedral is a mix of natural and human-made structures. There is evidence of various civilaztions going back to the Hittites and Persians. The monastery was constructed in the 8th century by Christians as a monastery with church, but then changed in purpose as a caravanserai in the 12th century.

The monastery has a large church, which is divided into three sections by two rows of rock columns. There were an estimated 2,000 people who would have lived within the complex. The monastery contains quarters for monks, two halls, a stable for mules, and a large kitchen. The kitchen was built within the cathedral and lamps were used as a lighting sourceWeiterlesen