Andaval (Andabalis) Church The Andaval Church is located close to the province of Nigde, just off the main Nigde-Adana highway. This remarkable Byzantine-era church is renowned for its vibrant wall paintings and includes a stone structure dating back to 1000 AD, which was built atop the remains of an earlier 6th-century basilica. Interestingly, the church’s base also preserves traces of an ancient Hittite settlement. Although the structure has suffered various alterations over the centuries, many of its walls still feature beautifully preserved artworks portraying scenes from the Bible. A late Hittite inscription from the 9th century BC was discovered at the foundation of the Andaval Church, confirming that the site originally belonged to the Late Hittite Kingdom. During the 6th century, a basilica was erected on this location, which had previously been used for Pagan worship. However, this first basilica was later destroyed and set ablaze during the Arab invasions of the 700s and 800s. This turbulent era, marked by Byzantine decline, likely led to the eventual abandonment of the church community. By approximately 1000 AD, the once three-aisled basilica was remodeled into a single-nave, barrel-vaulted structure, and its interior was beautifully decorated with frescoes. The walls of the nave were entirely plastered and painted with detailed, well-preserved religious imagery. The western wall of the church displays the most well-preserved and arguably the most important depiction of Mother Mary cradling the infant Jesus. Although still visible, the images of St. Constantine and Archangel Michael in this section have experienced partial deterioration over time. Additional murals found throughout the church depict scenes such as The Nativity, Adoration of the Magi, Joachim and Anna (the parents of the Virgin Mary), the Raising of Lazarus, Entry into Jerusalem, and various Angels. If you have any questions or need more details about the Andaval (Andabalis) Church, please feel free to contact us at [email protected] or simply reach out via WhatsApp. We’ll get back to you promptly.