PanARMENIAN.Net

Akdamar Church To Be Opened on 11th and Not 24th of April
18.01.2007 14:58 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Akdamar Church, situated on Akdamar Island on
Van Lake in eastern city of Van, will be opened on April 11. Turkish
Press reports that the church has been renovated with the cooperation
of Van Governor`s Office and Culture & Tourism Ministry. The
publication says that Akdamar Church was constructed by architect
bishop Manuel between 915 and 921 AD under the supervision of King
Gagik I. `Among the important pieces of Armenian architecture, the
church draws attraction with its stone workmanship and the relieves on
its walls.’ The Turkish Press writes.

It is worth mentioning earlier it was declared that the church will be
opened on April 24, the Remembrance Day of the victims of the Armenian
Genocide. But after protests of the Armenian Diaspora in Turkey,
particularly after Armenian Apostolic Church Constantinople Archbishop
Mesrop Mutafian’s protests the day of opening was moved to an earlier
date.

In 2006 Armenian specialists were engaged in the process of
reconstruction. The PanARMENIAN.Net journalist has find out from the
Armenian Ministry of Culture and Youth Affairs that an Armenian cross
has been constructed on the dome of the church.