Yüksek Kilise in Aksaray attracts tourists with ancient heritage

The Yüksek Kilise, located on Analipsis Hill in the Güzelyurt district of Aksaray, continues to attract thousands of domestic and international tourists. Originally built by Greeks in the 1800s as a school for priests, the structure is carved directly into the steep rocks.

Archaeological evidence indicates the area has been a significant settlement site since the Aceramic Neolithic period. The site contains traces from the Chalcolithic, Bronze, and Iron Ages, as well as Hittite and Roman civilizations. Inside the church, there is a Byzantine-era chapel, a water collection reservoir, and a meeting area.

Historian Dr. Mustafa Fırat Gül noted that the region, formerly known as Gelveri, was a place where Muslims and non-Muslims lived together peacefully prior to the 1924 population exchange. The name Analipsis is a theological term referring to the Ascension of Jesus.