The Ruined City of Nora/Mokissos and the Village of Helvadere

The main body of the ruined city sits in a valley with the peak of Mount Hasan looming in the distance. In ancient times this valley would have been much deeper but the creek that runs from the slopes above gradually filled in this part of the city, burying many of the buildings and creating something of a small plain that brings in flocks of sheep.

The fact that most of the stones are un-hewn and nearly black make the city feel even more ancient than it is. Many of the walls and doors that are still intact look like the rough walls of a sheep enclosure made by a giant. While the stones are rough, they are far larger than any modern builder would bother using today.

Due to the fact that the Nora ruins have not been excavated or even turned into any sort of official museum, there is actually very little to be said about the history of the site. In fact, if you look at Wikipedia or any of the numerous sites that plagiarize from Wikipedia you’ll find some misinformation. It’s claimed that Nora was once called Mokissos, which was later renamed Justinopolis, before being renamed Kırşehir by the Turks. The problem is that Kırşehir is 100kms away in a flat prairie.

According to a statement made in a local paper by an expert at the Aksaray Museum and based on what we could see, this is what we know: The city was likely established as a garrison rather than a proper settlement by the Romans then continued as a garrison under the Byzantines until around the 8th century. While there are thought to be around 1000 homes in the city there are none of the Roman hallmarks of a large settlement. There is no sign of marble work, no waterworks, and no grand pillared streets. The layout is actually quite muddled and the stonework rough. While the earliest remaining buildings are said to be from the late Roman/early Byzantine period the majority of the buildings are thought to be from the 7th century, not long before it was abandoned sometime in the 8th century AD. And just to keep things confusing he says that Nora was also once known as Mokissos, though this too has its issues as the City of Mokissos is known to have become the City of Kırşehir. It is very unlikely that both of these Cappadocian cities would have shared the name Mokissos.

In her book “The Thousand and One Churches” famed traveler and researcher Gertrude Bell refers to the city as “Viranşerhir” which is more likely a description rather than the name of this place as it means “Destroyed or Ruined City”.

One of the other sights in the area is a castle just a few kilometres to the south-west of the village and it isn’t really worth visiting. The castle sits behind a small stadium-like building and is so small that it’s rather hard to notice. It’s so small in fact that it’s hard to be sure that it’s actually a historical castle and not some strange fake. There are the remains of a small chapel in the one corner which makes it seem a bit more legitimate.

If you have a car then visiting Milk Church is definitely worth the 20 minute drive through the oak trees and out onto the bare upper slopes of Mount Hasan. While there is little left of the old church here, what does remain is set in a remarkable place with a view of the mountain peak nearby and an incredible vantage point of the plain far below.

I have not been able to find any information regarding the history of this church beyond its name.

Helvadere is the closest village to Mount Hasan and also one of the recommended starting points for hiking to the summit. The mountain is an inactive volcano standing at 3286 metres above sea level and commands a magnificent view of the surrounding region. It’s one of three dormant volcanoes that created the martian landscapes of the Cappadocia region and the second highest point in Central Anatolia. While there is a great amount of debate around the authenticity of this claim, the Çatalhöyük map depicting the neolithic town is thought to show Mount Hasan erupting in the background. The original map can be seen at the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations.

Hiking from the abandoned restaurant near Milk Church one can reach the summit and descend again the same day conditions permitting. As the route is poorly marked at best, you will want to do some more research or hire a guide before attempting an ascent.