Niğde Central Greek Orthodox Church is located in the Eski Saray Neighborhood of the central district of Niğde. The building was constructed in the late 19th century during the Ottoman period to serve the Orthodox Greek community living in the region. Its location is notable for its proximity to the historic Niğde Castle.
The church was built in 1861 to replace the H. Prodromos Monastery, which was destroyed that same year. Completed within the same year, the new building was dedicated to St. John the Baptist (H. İoannes Prodromos) and became the city’s katholikon (main church).
Rum Church (Türkiye Kültür Portalı)
Architectural Features
The church has a basilica plan with three naves extending in an east-west direction. It is constructed using local materials such as basalt and yellow trachyte stone. The exterior façade prominently features finely cut stonework. The narthex is arranged in a “U” shape around the naos, divided into 15 compartments, and covered with a cross vault. Apart from the entrance located on the south façade, the north façade is symmetrically designed.
Interior Layout and Naves
The naos area is divided into three naves by two rows of five columns each. The central nave is wider and taller than the side naves. At the end of each nave is a semicircular apse, with the central apse being larger than the others. The aedicula-type niches in the apses point to the original Christian iconography of the building. The gallery above the narthex also follows a “U” shaped plan and can be reached via stairs located at the southwest corner.
Decorations and Wall Paintings
Both the stonework and the wall paintings in the church are notable. Stone decorations are concentrated on the capitals of columns and niches in the apses. Most of the wall paintings have survived to the present day. Especially notable are the vegetal motifs and figurative scenes in the naos, designed in line with the liturgical function of the building.
On the eastern wall of the naos is a depiction of the “Annunciation to Mary,” while the central vault features “The Ascension of Jesus” along with representations of the four Evangelists. Additionally, saint figures are depicted on the column arches. These figurative compositions are exemplary of the Rum-Orthodox artistic tradition of the period.
Current Use
Although the building lost its function as a place of worship over time, it was opened for public use following extensive restorations. Today, the church serves as a cultural center in Niğde and functions as a public library. Restored while preserving its architectural integrity, the church is valuable both as a heritage of civil architecture and as a religious structure.
