Located in the Yeşilhisar district, known as the gateway to Cappadocia in Kayseri, central Türkiye, the Saint George Church is expected to become one of the region's significant tourism destinations upon the completion of ongoing restoration work.
The village of Güzelöz in Yeşilhisar, believed to be the birthplace of Saint George – whose name is carried by churches and chapels worldwide – is attracting increasing attention. Güzelöz is one of Cappadocia's historic neighborhoods, famed for its fairy chimneys, rock-carved caves and numerous churches.
Restoration work initiated by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism is underway at the Saint George Church, located between the Güzelöz and Başköy neighborhoods. Once finished, the project is expected to give a strong boost to local tourism.
Neighboring Başköy also holds significant cultural value, with its historic Greek houses on the verge of collapse and the stone-built Başköy Primary School, dating back to 1913 – both awaiting transformation into notable tourist attractions.
Ömer Tosun, president of the Cappadocia Area Tourism Investors Association and honorary consul of Brazil, told Anadolu Agency (AA) that Saint George, who lived in the third century, is a highly important figure for Christians. Places of worship dedicated to him exist in many countries.
Recalling how a famous Brazilian filmmaker they met at a hotel in Cappadocia asked to be taken to the village of the “Cappadocian Saint,” Tosun explained their search for the village with guides: “We finally found Güzelöz village. We visited a church where the Brazilian tourists were moved to tears upon seeing a painting of Saint George on the wall. They explained how important he is in Christian history. Saint George is revered as a saint by Catholics, Orthodox Christians and Anglicans. He is considered the patron saint of Moscow, England, Brazil and Georgia. He was born in this valley – his mother was from Cappadocia and his father was Palestinian.”
Tosun emphasized that the restoration of the Saint George Church by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism is underway, adding, “Although it won’t be a pilgrimage site, it will be a place of respect. This will create a new destination and lead to an increase in accommodation options.”
Highlighting the importance of the restoration for opening a new tourism area in Cappadocia, Tosun said: “I sent a photo of the restoration work to the Brazilian filmmaker; he was overjoyed and in tears, saying, ‘I have to come there immediately.’ We need to restore the village of Saint George, where he was born and raised, in our region, to honor tourism and believers. This will positively contribute to the promotion of our country and region and will increase the number of visitors.”
