To Nino's House: Cappadocia

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The locals over there know: but do we know, in Georgia?

Do we know exactly where St. Nino, who brought Christianity to Georgia in the 4th century from Cappadocia in Anatolia, was born or came from?

Online sources name the place as the Greek town of Kolastra, or maybe Colostra or a similar variation.

Our Turkish tour guide told us that she was born in what is now Ortahisar (Turkish for "Middle Castle"), in the Nevsehir region of Cappadocia, and kindly detailed the rough location of a small church connected with her there.

We went by taxi, in great excitement, trying not to hope too much: would we find it, find anything?

Our Azeri friend interpreted for us as we asked around, near the great castle for which the town is famous. Eventually, passing two large chained up dogs, one friendly, the other fierce, we found a small domed rock structure inside a stone wall, gated and locked but not impenetrable. The area around was poorly kept, nothing special. A sign read in Turkish, "Nino was born here". Entering the open door, we were greeted by frescoes including a relatively undamaged main one of Christ.

So, we found... something. What? I’m no expert on dates of architecture or frescoes.

I’ve been unable to find online the modern name or ancient location of Kolastra, or Colastri, or any similar variant; not even in the best source, Barrington's Atlas of the Greek and Roman World. Nor have I been able to discover what Ortahisar was called, or even if it existed as long ago as the 4th century.

The only things remaining to say are... go and see for yourself; and, if you have any more concrete information or sources, please let me know: a.hanmer@gmail.com

The street in Ortahisar, Cappadocia

The “Nino was born here” sign

Surroundings, with church on the right

Church exterior

Church interior, looking up

Church interior, main frescoes

Ortahisar Castle, near the church

By Tony Hanmer