Venturing to the Fascinating Selime Monastery in Cappadocia, Turkey

Most Ihlara Valley tours also include a stop at Selime Monastery, located at the very edge of the valley. Visiting this fascinating historical and religious benchmark you will see how the local monks and the bishop used to live and pray in these tuff hills.

Selime monastery entrance
Selime monastery before we started climbing it

What to see at the Selime Monastery

The site where the Selime monastery was built between the 8th and 9th centuries is historically important in the matter that shows signs of earlier presence from past civilizations. Among these, the Persians, the Seljuks, the Romans, and the Byzantine Eastern Roman empire have settled there at some point in history.

Inside the different areas of Selime monastery, the walls show beautiful frescoes and it’s possible to visit the rooms where the daily life of the previous inhabitants took place such as the monks’ kitchen.

READ MORE: Top things to do in Cappadocia.

Rooms in selime monastery
Rooms in the monastery

At times, the construction looks like a stronghold made of defense walls, narrow passageways and even trenches. Apart from being a fortress, Selime monastery was also where monks and clergy received their education and a military command post.

One of the largest religious complexes built in Cappadocia, Selime monastery has also been used as a caravanserai where the traders traveling along the Silk Road could stop, spend the night, eat and rest before resuming their journey. Within the monastery, you will also see the paths devoted to the camels the traders used to travel and where they were kept to rest. Caravanserais are always fascinating buildings, some of the most beautiful to visit are in Iran and in Herat, Afghanistan.

READ MORE: Best places to visit in Iran in 10 days.

selime monastery
The view from Selime monastery

From the 16th century, the complex of Selime monastery was abandoned and somehow fell into decay. Today it’s one of the famous attractions in Cappadocia and is always included in the guided tours to the Ihlara Valley as it’s located right on the edge of the gorge.

selime monastery
Just to get an idea of the height we were at and where monks used to live

The church of the monastery is very big, almost the size of a cathedral and inside is made of pillars and arches. The paintings decorating the church are simple icons as well as frescoes. The frescoes of this fascinating religious complex are little visible and date back to the 10th and 11th centuries.

church selime monastery
The church of Selime monastery

Obviously today the church is no longer used for functions but it’s just a part of this historical landmark and can be visited inside.

Church entrance selime monastery
The entrance to the church of Selime monastery

Tips for visiting the Selime monastery

  • Book a guided tour with a local to visit the religious complex, alone it’s not an easy sight and you will miss out on important explanations.
  • Getting to the monastery and the church is a steep climb and goes to a pretty high altitude.
  • Wear comfortable shoes, either runners or hiking shoes.
  • Wear comfortable clothes. Just like for the shoes, consider that you are going to climb and do a long walk and some staircase. You might want to wear trousers instead of a skirt and cotton or loose material instead of jeans.
  • In spring and summer, temperatures can be pretty hot so don’t forget to wear good sunscreen and/or a hat.
  • The walk is tiring and long, and inside the monastery, there is no refreshment kiosk, so carry a bottle of water in your bag/backpack to remain hydrated, especially in the hot season.

Places to visit near Selime Monastery

Goreme Open-Air Museum

A large monastic complex, Goreme Open-Air Museum is one of the top places to visit in Cappadocia, unmissable if it’s your first time in the Turkish region.

Red Valley and Rose Valley

Hiking the Red Valley and Rose Valley in Cappadocia is a must thing to do for all nature and adventure lovers.

Ihlara Valley

The largest canyon in Cappadocia, the Ihlara Valley is a favorite tour to take in the region. You can trek throughout the valley, visit Belisirma village built on its slopes, and explore its fascinating cave churches and dwellings. At the end of most tours to the Ihlara Valley is Selime monastery.

Where to stay near Selime monastery

The best towns to stay in Cappadocia are Goreme and Uchisar, but if you feel like staying in a larger city, the closest to Selime monastery is Aksaray, some 28 km away. There are plenty of great hotels in Cappadocia, and most likely, from any of them, you will need a driver/car to reach the monastery.

Goreme: Mithra Cave Hotel, Kamelya Cave Hostel, Cave Life Hotel.

Uchisar: Hermes Cave Hotel, Anatolia Raymonde Cave House, Pigeon Valley Hotel.

Aksaray: Agacli Hotel, Grand Altuntas Hotel.

about me: Angela Corrias
About the author

I'm Angela Corrias, an Italian journalist, photographer, and travel writer located in the heart of Italy's capital. Welcome to my website, your comprehensive source for your travels and expert guidance for crafting your dream travel experience.

6 thoughts on “Venturing to the Fascinating Selime Monastery in Cappadocia, Turkey”

  1. J’ai les vertiges! J’aimerais voir ces étranges et magnifiques paysages mais je ne crois pas y réussir!

    Reply

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