Big cave castle

In the tufa landscape around Göreme, Byzantine-era communities carved churches and living quarters directly into the soft volcanic rock. The pigeon houses — identifiable by rows of small niches cut into cliff faces — are a hallmark of Cappadocia: farmers collected the nitrogen-rich droppings as fertilizer for vineyards. This site likely combines both functions: an early medieval rock-cut church, possibly with surviving or faded frescoes, alongside dovecote chambers carved into the same tuff block. Without formal signage or excavation records in the available data, the exact historical context remains uncertain and should be verified with local sources before visiting.