In the Turkish historical area of Cappadocia, another underground city was discovered, which, as archaeologists are convinced, hid the oldest Christian church in history. The ancient city with a church was discovered by accident during construction work in the town of Nevsehir.
Local authorities immediately decided to stop construction. The buried religious structure could become one of the most valuable objects of worship for Christians around the world, officials said. It is believed that the pilgrims will significantly enrich Nevsehir's budget.
The mayor of Hassan Unver reports that the church is perfectly preserved. Its walls are adorned with artful frescoes depicting the Ascension and the Last Judgment. As far as world scientists know, there are no such frescoes in other oldest Christian churches on the planet. Turkish experts believe that the structure was built in the 5th century AD.
The church, as it turned out, is one of the many objects of the newly discovered underground city. His other buildings were once carved in soft rock by stonecutters. It is noteworthy that the city is located very close to the famous Cappadocian Historical and Cultural Reserve, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
It is believed to be the largest Turkish city of its time. Presumably, the first settlement appeared here about five thousand years ago. Archaeologists have discovered over seven kilometers of tunnels in the city.
So far, experts have not examined the entire church. In particular, they opened the entrance and the vault. The overall dimensions of the structure are currently unknown.
Archaeologists had to suspend work before the onset of warmth, as the paintings could suffer from winter moisture. Over time, scientists plan to open all the paintings. In the meantime, it is known that on the pediment of the church there are frescoes depicting the crucifixion of Jesus and his ascension to heaven. There are also paintings with saints, apostles and prophets.
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