Ertugrul Gunay: Armenian Church at Akhtamar Island won't be topped with cross

January 11, 2010 - 17:01 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net -
Armenian Church of Holy Cross at Akhtamar Island won't be open for liturgies or topped with a cross, Turkish Minister of Culture and Tourism, Ertugrul Gunay stated.

"The church is a museum under the Ministry and will be operating as a museum only," Milliyet cited the Minister as saying.

In December 2009, Van mayor Munir Karaloglu announced that, after speaking with Turkey's Ministry of Culture, a decision was made to open the Armenian church on the island of Akhtamar. As he noted, the church, located in Lake Van in eastern Turkey, will begin officially opening its doors on September 12, 2010.

Holy Cross Church

The 300-seat Holy Cross Church, located on a small island in the middle of Lake Van in eastern Turkey, is in many ways a symbol of the country's Armenian community. The church was built between 915 and 921 during the reign of Armenian King Gagik I of Vaspurakan and was one of the most important religious buildings in the region. The church, whose sandstone walls and dome are adorned with carvings of Jesus Christ and David and Goliath, is considered one of the greatest examples of Armenian architecture of the period, and an inspiration for the Gothic style that later developed in Europe, according to the New York-based Landmarks Foundation, which has advised on the church's restoration. By the end of last century, the church was falling apart due to the heavy rains and winds that swept across the lake.

Following its restoration and reopening in 2007 Holy Cross Church was operating as a museum.