Ayazini Rock Settlement and Churches

Ayazını, known in Byzantine sources as Metropolis, is a rock-cut settlement carved into volcanic tufa cliffs in the İhsaniye district of Afyonkarahisar, approximately 30 kilometres north of the city. The site was inhabited continuously from the Phrygian period through the Byzantine era, and the cliff face is honeycombed with cave dwellings, storage rooms, burial tombs and monastic cells. The main church — sometimes called the Church of the Archangel — is the most impressive single structure, partly hewn from the rock with a vaulted nave supported on carved columns and an apse with a deeply cut baptistery. Faint traces of fresco decoration survive in sheltered areas of the church interior. The carved column capitals display a mixture of Byzantine and local stone-carving traditions. Above the church, a steep path leads past further tomb facades and dwelling caves to the upper terrace, which commands wide views over the surrounding plateau. The settlement is comparable in character to the rock-cut sites of Cappadocia, though considerably less visited. No facilities are present at the site; visitors should bring water and wear sturdy shoes. The tufa carvings are most legible in morning or afternoon light when shadows articulate the carved surfaces. Entry is free. A visit takes 1 to 2 hours.