Kayakoy Upper Church, a photo from Mugla, Aegean

Photographer's Note

In the Autumn of 1922, over 900,000 Greeks left Turkey (both Thrace and Asia Minor) and moved to Greece. They had been happily coexisting for centuries. The population transfers involved approximately two million people, around 1.5 million Anatolian Greeks and 500,000 Muslims in Greece. The cause of the transfer was the Turkish military's reaction against Christian minorities in the late days of the Ottoman Empire and its subsequent massacres of them: Adana massacre of 1909, Armenian Genocide of 1914–1923, and Greek genocide 1914–1922. By January 31, 1917, the Chancellor of Germany, allied with the Ottomans during World War I, was reporting that:

"The indications are that the Turks plan to eliminate the Greek element as enemies of the state, as they did earlier with the Armenians. The strategy implemented by the Turks is of displacing people to the interior without taking measures for their survival by exposing them to death, hunger, and illness. The abandoned homes are then looted and burnt or destroyed. Whatever was done to the Armenians is being repeated with the Greeks." — Chancellor of Germany in 1917, Theobald von Bethmann-Hollweg, The Killing Trap: Genocide in the Twentieth Century. Even today relations between Greece and Turkey remain frosty, and it is an offence by law in Turkey to even mention the word 'genocide'.

So those who could leave, left Karmilissos, shortened to Lebessos and pronounced in Modern Greek as Livissi (Kayakoy in Turkish). This is the upper church. The lower church was locked at the time of my visit and has a more impressive interior. There wasn't a lot to see inside this church, which had been vandalised decades ago. Fethiye is the nearest large town. Nobody lives in this ghost town today. Turks live in the valley behind me here in small red roofed farmhouses. A sad story from almost a century ago.

ikeharel, Royaldevon, pierrefonds, ricardomattos, holmertz, jhm, PaulVDV, Fis2, adramad, mcmtanyel has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

lousat (139220) 2021-01-14 2:17

Hi Chris,I did not know this location and it is certainly interesting to visit this ghost town, with a bad history of over a century ago. Great capture of the church which unfortunately falls apart and from which everything was taken away. Thank you for the WS to my photo, in fact it is much more brilliant! Have a nice day! Luciano

Royaldevon (85896) 2021-01-14 3:28

Hello Chris,

Your explicit notes add a very sad mood to this photograph, which clearly shows the ruinous state of this church, which would once have proudly revealed many arched windows.

It is hard to believe that man can be so savage in relations with others! All religions seem to promote love, kindness and tolerance and yet ... that is not what is displayed!

Have a good day,
Bev :-)

Silvio1953 (221525) 2021-01-14 4:06

Ciao Chris, great view of fantastic church, wonderful colors, fine details, splendid light, and excellent clarity, very well done, my friend, ciao Silvio

pierrefonds (114395) 2021-01-14 4:43

Bonjour Chris,

L'étendue de l'endroit donne de la profondeur à la composition. La prise de vue permet de voir les détails de l'église. La lumière rehausse les couleurs de l'image. Bonne journée.

Pierre

holmertz (102650) 2021-01-14 4:57

Hello Chris,
I knew of course about the mass exodus from both countries at this time, similar to what happened at the partition of India in 1947, but I didn't know of this particular town. It's only when seeing an enlarged version of the photo that it becomes obvious that the entire town is as abandoned and ruined as the church in the foreground. Sad story indeed, but a well taken and informative photo and note.
Regards,
Gert

ricardomattos (17460) 2021-01-14 4:59

Hi Chris

Beautiful photo but a very sad story about the Christian minorities and Armenian Genocide.

TFS

Ricardo

jhm (211736) 2021-01-14 5:15

Hello Chris,

Splendid panorama view about the old buildings.
The gray colour of the buildings gives additional contrast make
Very clear and superb of sharpness.
We see almost all details
Very well done, TFS

Best regards,
John.

Tue (92322) 2021-01-14 10:37

Hello Chris,
This viewpoint offered a great view of the ghost town with the church and the many old houses and their greyish and white walls standing our so well from the green landscape. Well captured in a fine sunlight.
Lars

emka (158092) 2021-01-14 11:43

Hello Chris, Nice view of trhis old church. The construction of the roof is very intet such storisresting, What a tragic story of the people who had to leave their homes. But such stories happen nowadays too.
Best regrads MAlgo

PaulVDV (62880) 2021-01-14 15:00

Hello Chris,
A very sad history of which this photo is an excellent testimony.
The story is known, but I did not know there were such abandoned Greek towns in Turkey.
I wonder how you went there. It doesn't seem like the place you can take a bus to. Did you have your own transport? And is this place marked on the map of Turkey?
Best regards, Paul

ifege (48019) 2021-01-14 19:06

Hi Chris
An interesting rather than beautiful old church with a very scenic setting. A good detailed photo.
cheers
Ian

Fis2 (170693) 2021-01-15 3:01

[email protected] Chris!
A very curious ruins of church.
I like it.
Interesting place, view makes impression.
Good POV, colors and sharpness.
Well done.
Good morning.
Krzysztof

mkamionka (74351) 2021-01-16 9:34

Hi Chris,
beautiful photo with amazing colors. The sky and vegetation are so pleasantly saturated. The architecture quite interesting as well.
I like the wavy line on the horizon.
Very sad story in the note. What strikes me is that if there is a conflict like on Cyprus, the present day people living there say that it is the country of their fathers but sometimes they forget that it is the country their fathers took from somebody else...
Very complicated situation for present day generations I suppose.
Great reportage,we need to learn about history to learn from mistakes... but sadly due to the fact that people are not the smartest species, the history seems to repeat itself so often.
Beautiful quality image.
M

adramad (72970) 2021-01-16 10:08

Hello Chris.
A good note and a very sad story that of the inhabitants of this beautiful corner, the church in the foreground is a sad reminder, when due to its size today it could be a monument of recognized prestige.
A fantastic photo, with beautiful natural colors, very good lighting and excellent sharpness.
Enjoy the weekend, but taking all the precautions against Covid.
Very best regards.
Luis.

jmdias (115100) 2021-01-16 13:01

chris

it is a tragedy that occur nowadays in many other spots of the globe. yes, it would be better if everybody could be in the same area as ever, but racial or religious hate is stronger. excellent this view, the ruins of the church has curious shapes and we can see the village ahead.

take care

jorge

mcmtanyel (68447) 2021-05-20 21:01

Hello Chris,
It is ironic that a so-called secular administration accomplished what the Muslims had been dreaming of for centuries.
Regards,
MT

COSTANTINO (116421) 2022-01-29 23:25

Hello dear Chris and have a nice Sunday
interesting capture of this church
under splendid light
thanks for your useful notes
about the population transfers
involved approximately two million
people around 1,5 million Anatolian
Greeks and 500000 Muslims in Greece
regards
Costantino