DARK CHURCH

The so-called Kara Kilise (Dark Church) is one of the best-preserved monuments of Mokisos, along with Kemerli Kilise (Vaulted Church). As it stands today the church is a single nave basilica. The apse is semi-circular on the interior and polygonal on the exterior, with fragments of an original plaster layer outside. The present-day building doesn’t reflect the original plan but resulted from later alterations. Its first phase dates back probably to the late sixth century, and consisted of a three-aisled basilica from which survives only the lower portion of the apse wall. The south wall of the new nave was built with spolia from the first phase while the north and west walls are constructed of roughly cut ashlar masonry. At this stage, the north wall was reinforced and a vaulted annex has been added to the exterior of the south wall. Only the floor plan of this space is recognizable today. Another vaulted annex added to the north, with an underground space below, erased all traces from the first construction phase. The third phase of construction corresponds to the reconstruction of the central nave, during which the south annex became dysfunctional. All these modifications allow us to think Kara Kilise had the longest lifespan among the church buildings in Mokisos. It may have been used as the last episcopal church in the city probably in the Middle Byzantine period (10^th – 11^th centuries).