AKHTAMAR CHURCH (ALMOST) RESTORED
Yavuz Baydar

The New Anatolian, Turkey
July 3 2006

A three day trip to Eastern Anatolia can be, even in the cooking heat
of summer, an extremely heartening, enlightening, teaching, well,
delightful experience. I had never been to the town of Dogubeyazýt,
which faces the majestic Ararat mountains and looks as if it is
protected by it. When the mayor, Ms Mukaddes Kubilay, elected as
candidate of pro-Kurdish DEHAP Party, invited me and a colleague of
mine, Oral Calýþlar, for a roundtable discussion on Kurdish question,
I accepted enthusiastically.

Soon after we arrived in the small and busy airport of Van, we headed
for a destination of great importance: island of Akhtamar, situated
southside of Van, some 5 miles off the shore of Van Lake. The island
is known throughout the world with its ancient Armenian church, called
Akhtamar – or, Akdamar, as in Turkish. 1.100 years old, Akhtamar was
one of the main temples of the Armenians. Its historical and symbolic
value has been undisputable.

The symphatetic church, built with the lightbrown local stones, has
been a ruin for decades, left as it was deserted. Its walls had deep
scars, bullet holes, grafiti and all sorts of prints by vandalism.

But a year ago, by the initiative of AK Party government, a restoration
work was commissioned. Under the surveillance of a group of experts
from universities of Ýstanbul, Ankara and Van, contractor firm
Kartalkaya, of the local Zeydanlý family, initiated the work.

As we approached the island, I did not expect much progress in
restoration. After all it was not even a year under harsh climate
conditions. But the visit around and inside the church was full of
great surprises.

The external work was almost completed and internally and, according
to Ahmet Mete Tozkoparan, who co-leads the Project, less than a
couple of months were needed. Four young experts were in full action
in recovering what was left of the fantastic frescoes. The floor
was complete.

Outside, it was even a more fabulous sight. Facades, that depicted
much of the iconography, some with references to Abbasi dynasty,
were cleaned neatly.

Then, as suggested by Yalcýn Karaca, an extremely knowledgeable
archeologist from Van University, we were taken to the other side
of the churchyard, where the team meticolously excavated what was
left of the walls and rooms of the monastery and the school. Those
of us who only remembered only earth on that part, were met with
astonishment. Our hosts pointed out that the walls now faced the
threat of the winter: Since they were fragile, the first strong rain
would start to threaten to destruct it. They were expecting, in vain,
some quick green light from the Department of Culture for covering
them neatly. It looked urgent indeed.

Over tea with the gentle team we discussed a lot about the iconography
of the church, that stood there, above us, majestically.

Turkish Prime Minister Erdoðan, we were told, took care of the work
of restoration personally, and he even visited the site by a chopper,
an unannounced appearence that even took place without the knowledge
of the local governor.

Next week, the island will have another visitor. The Armenian Patriarch
of Turkey, Mesrob II, will travel to Akhtamar to see what it now looks
like. He will be, I am sure, as surprised as we were. I could easily
call it the best restoration work ever done in Turkey.

One certainly hopes for more.

The opening of the church will not only mean a lot for the Armenians,
but also for the locals who expect more tourism and contacts.

–Boundary_(ID_ryDVpxVkqwTf7bZzK0A5kA)- –

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress