Binbirkilise Binbirkilise, which translates to "a thousand and one churches," refers to an area in ancient Lycaonia, now part of Karaman province. The region is home to about 50 church ruins that date back to the Byzantine era. Located on the northern slopes of the Karadağ volcano, roughly 30 miles (48 kilometers) to the north of Karaman, the church ruins are dispersed across and around the villages of Madenşehri, Üçkuyu, and Değle. Between the 3rd and 8th centuries, the area was inhabited by a large Christian community that left behind the remnants of churches, monasteries, cisterns, and fortresses. These ruins are still visible across the villages, though the stone materials were repurposed for constructing other buildings, which has led to the gradual decay of what remains. Architecturally notable are the domed basilicas of Syriac Orthodox design, constructed with large cut stone blocks due to the region's scarcity of wood. Instead of flat wooden roofs, the buildings feature only stone heads at the top, and the matronea can be seen behind columns in an upper tier, with double clerestory windows present in the apses. The narthexes of these churches typically feature double arcades and a central column. Occasionally, you can find paintings, along with rare remnants from the Hittite, Roman, and Hellenistic eras. Scattered traces of other civilizations that once inhabited the area can also still be found. If you have any questions or would like more information about Binbirkilise, please feel free to reach out to us at [email protected], or simply message us on Whatsapp, and we will get back to you as soon as possible.