The Göreme Open-Air Museum in Nevşehir, one of Türkiye’s most visited museums, welcomed 1,187,016 domestic and international visitors last year.
Known for its rock-cut churches, monasteries, chapels and colorful frescoes, the museum attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists annually. It ranks among the top three most visited museums in Türkiye under the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, drawing visitors from around the world.
According to data from the Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism, visitor numbers at the museum were as follows: 55,180 in January, 41,404 in February, 70,516 in March, 129,533 in April, 152,122 in May, 110,234 in June, 93,232 in July, 115,702 in August, 126,265 in September, 148,775 in October, 96,555 in November and 47,498 in December.
For comparison, the museum welcomed 1,133,858 visitors in 2024.
One of the most visited museums
Tour guide Yunus Kervan, who introduces visitors to the site, told Anadolu Agency (AA) that the Göreme Open-Air Museum is a central tourism hub in the heart of Cappadocia.
"The museum draws visitors from all over the world due to its historical sites,” Kervan said. "The original frescoes in the country’s first monasteries and churches date back to the 11th and 12th centuries, making this place particularly significant. There are about 12 churches here, but we typically tour six: St. Basil, Barbara, Apple, Snake and Dark Churches. The most important is the Dark Church. Its name comes from the fact that sunlight rarely enters, which has preserved the paintings exceptionally well. Last year, 1,187,000 tourists visited. Most are from China and South Korea, but visitors also come from Malaysia, Indonesia, Taiwan, Europe and Latin America. This is one of the most visited museums in Türkiye.”
Tour guide Mustafa Soner Menekşe highlighted the museum’s unique structures, carved into volcanic tuff centuries ago.
"Göreme Open-Air Museum is historically significant. It is located within a national park that features artifacts from the Byzantine, Roman, Seljuk and Ottoman periods. Visitors can see how people of different faiths – Christian and Muslim – once lived together. We explain this in detail and visitors begin to appreciate and love the site as they explore it,” Menekşe said.
Argentine tourist Dario Adler, visiting Cappadocia for the first time, described the museum as a powerful experience.
"There is a very strong feeling here,” Adler said. "The story is so compelling that it makes you reflect on history. I highly recommend that everyone visit this museum.”