Akhtamar Church to be reopened

ArmRadio.am
23.02.2007 10:44

The Church of the Holy Cross of Akhtamar will be reopened on 15 April,
Turkish Minister of Tourism and Culture Atilla Koch told `Zaman’
newspaper, noting that the state has spent $2 million on
reconstruction of the church.

According to him, leaders of the local Armenian community and the
Armenian Church, Ministers of EU member states have already been
invited to attend the opening ceremony. There is an intention to
invite also the Culture Ministers of Armenia, Russia, Ukraine,
Lebanon, Syria, Georgia, the US and Canada, representatives of the
Armenian Diaspora from the United States, Russia, Ukraine and
Lebanon. `We shall host 200 honorable guests,’ said the Minister.

The Culture Minister of Turkey said they intend to start the
reconstruction of Ani soon. Atilla Koch said the reconstructions have
nothing to do with the Genocide. Monuments of different religions are
being reconstructed as cultural legacy.