Italian Scientists Conducted Research in Kayasehir and Kaya Church

Italian scientists who came to Turkey to conduct research and studies on the preservation and restoration of Cappadocia’s unique rock formations and churches adorned with frescoes examined the Historical Kayaşehir, Kaya Church, and the Virgin Mary Church located in Nevşehir.
Prof. Dr. Maria Andolora, a significant Italian art historian specializing in Medieval and Byzantine art at Tuscia University in Italy, along with the expert Assoc. Prof. Dr. Paola Pogliani, specializing in techniques and materials used in Medieval wall paintings and mosaics in Italy and the Eastern Mediterranean, arrived in Nevşehir. The delegation, which has conducted important work in the preservation of historical and cultural assets in various countries and has participated in international projects such as the restoration of the frescoes in the Tokalı Church in Cappadocia, visited the Historical Kayaşehir, Kaya Church, and the Virgin Mary Church upon the invitation of the Nevşehir Municipality.
Initially, the Italian delegation was informed about the ongoing works in Kayaşehir, which they toured under the supervision of the managers and technical staff of the Nevşehir Municipality Urban Transformation Department.
Later, the delegation visited the Kaya Church, which dates back to the Byzantine period and is decorated with wall paintings from the Late Medieval period. They gathered information about the rock-carved structure and analyzed the overall stability and historical frescoes of the structure. In their examinations aimed at developing suggestions for the preservation of the church, which is intended to be promoted for tourism, the Italian delegation shared their views on the restoration of the wall paintings in accordance with their original state, and then they toured the Virgin Mary Church.
The delegation expressed their appreciation for the works carried out by the Nevşehir Municipality in the Kayaşehir and the Virgin Mary Church, which have been promoted for tourism in the central region of Cappadocia, stating that they would return to the area in the coming days to contribute to the new projects to be implemented here.