Bin Bir Kilise (1001 churches)
| Department | Archive |
|---|---|
| Collection | Byzantine Research Fund |
| Reference No. | BRF/2/2/2/1 |
| Level | Item |
| Place |
Bin Bir Kilise |
| Dates | 1907-1909 |
| Donor/Creator |
Bell, Dr Gertrude Margaret Lowthian |
| Scope and Content | Church no 1: west façade. The photograph is annotated in pencil at the back. |
| Further information | Kara Daph (the Black Mountain) is a series of volcanic rocks that dominates the plain of Konia (ancient Ikonium) in Central Anatolia. An early Byzantine city with numerous monasteries/churches (‘BinBirKilisse’ means 1001 churches), houses of clergy, cisterns and wine-presses in the broader area lies at the northern foot of the mountain. The settlement, which was probably deserted soon after the Arab invasion of Asia Minor (660AC), was re-inhabited about 850: the abandoned churches were rebuilt, the demolished houses reconstructed. Turkish domination of the site began in 1072. The surviving churches date: a. before the Arab invasion (some of these monuments have partly been restored) b. after 850. New churches continued to be erected on the site as late as the 11th century. |