Paper long abstract:

The Byzantine history of the World Heritage Site of Göreme (inscribed 1985) has become embedded as the dominant narrative and key historic period formally interpreted within the 'open air' museum. By emphasising this Byzantine past, the site interpretation and formally trained local guides, who are invariably drawn from other faith communities, are highlighting how cultural memory and identity shaping can operate within museums as a powerful discourse, silencing certain narratives about the past and privileging others. Our paper considers these tensions from multiple viewpoints including from Islamic perspectives (locals and tour guides) and of visitors (cultural tourists and pilgrims from all over Europe) and explores the issues that impact on the experience and long term care and development of the site. In so doing our research discloses how these multiple narratives contradict, challenge and subvert the official WHS interpretation within the site which is written down and thus fixed.