Today’s Zaman, Turkey
Dec 8 2007

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The story of Akdamar

Spanning two continents, the Anatolian peninsula has always acted as
a cultural bridge between Europe and Asia and between Islam and other
religions.

Akdamar Island, home to the 10th century Church of the Holy Cross —
known to Turks as Akdamar Kilisesi — is the premier attraction of
the Lake Van area.
Being one of the cradles of civilization, Turkey has been home to
people from various religions throughout history and still carries
the mark of their cultural heritage.
Turkey has a lot to offer in terms of monuments and sacred sites for
those interested in history and culture. Being a popular tourist
destination, Turkey also has the potential to become a popular spot
for religious tourism as well. Throughout Anatolia, there are
numerous holy places, such as churches, synagogues and mosques, among
which some have won the fight against time while others are in ruins.

Despite the decreased number of minorities currently living in
Turkey, their contribution to the shaping of Anatolia’s cultural
heritage still remains today a reminder of the multicultural society
that once lived in these lands.

Church of the Holy Cross on Lake Van’s Akdamar Island

Surrounded by almond trees, the 10th century Armenian church known as
the Church of the Holy Cross (Surp Hach) represents one of the
beautiful examples of Armenian religious architecture. It is located
on the island of Akdamar, about three kilometers from the southern
shore of Lake Van.

It takes about 20 minutes to get to the island by boat from Gevaþ. As
you approach the island, the pointed church welcomes you and the sun
plays tricks on its walls, coloring them red or yellow.

The church was built by the Armenian King Gagik I of the Vaspurakan
dynasty. It took six years (A.D. 915-921) to build the church, made
of red tuffaceous stone. Until 1915, the church was part of a
monastic complex, but only the ruins of the monastery to the south of
the church survive today.

Constructed on a cross-shaped plan, the church is based on the
traditional Armenian style, which incorporates a dome with a conical
roof. But the uniqueness of its architecture stems from the external
walls decorated with an extensive array of bas-relief carvings that
mostly depict apostles, saints and biblical scenes.

The church is remarkable for having only two small side-apses on the
eastern side. Normally a traditional Armenian church would have four
side chapels so as to create a rectangular shape for the exterior.
The church has four friezes with decoration depicting vegetables
under the windows with vine and agricultural designs above them as
well as animal and male faces on the roof edges and the drum. Some of
the frescoes inside the church are still preserved as well.

Geruþ synagogue, gift of Selim II to the Jews

Having been left abandoned for many years, the church underwent a
significant restoration worth approximately $1.4 million between May
2005 and October 2006. It was then transformed into a museum and
opened to visitors. Being a part of Armenian history, it is expected
to attract Armenian visitors despite criticism about its being turned
into a secular museum.

Other cities also have impressive non-Islamic architecture

Having been home to a significant Jewish community in the past,
Turkey still has Jewish monuments. The Ottoman Empire issued an
official invitation to the Jews expelled from Spain and Portugal
through the end of the 14th century during the reign of Ottoman
Emperor Beyazid II (1481-1512). Following their expulsion, they began
arriving in the empire in great numbers.

The first group of Jews was settled in Bursa. Under the tolerant rule
of the Ottoman Empire, the Jews embraced Bursa as their home,
integrating into Ottoman society. Sultan Selim II had the Geruþ
synagogue built at the beginning of 16th century to meet the needs of
the expanding Jewish population. The name Geruþ means "exiled" in
Hebrew, hence it symbolizes the new home of the exiled Jews. The
synagogue is located on the famous Arap Þükrü Street — part of the
old Jewish quarter — in Bursa’s Osmangazi district. The synagogue is
made of hewn stone. The medallions found on either side of the Ehal
Akodesh, where the Torah is kept, have Hebrew inscriptions recording
the construction date and the name of the master builder.

The synagogue is well preserved and still in use despite the
decreased Jewish population in modern-day Bursa. The Jewish community
numbers between 50 and 60 households, equal to approximately 200
people. Services are held on Friday evenings, Saturday mornings and
during Jewish holidays.

St. Nicholas Church, a popular destination for pilgrims

The southern province of Antalya is home to one of Turkey’s most
popular pilgrimage sites. The Church of St. Nicholas is a ruined
third century Byzantine basilica located in ancient Myra (today’s
town of Demre). The church includes the tomb of St. Nicholas of Myra
and hosts several fine mosaics and murals.

The church was originally built in the third century, but it was
rebuilt in the eighth century and it is that structure which has
largely survived to the present day. A monastery was added between
the 11th and 12th centuries. Damaged by earthquakes and raids, the
church has had several renovations and extensions throughout its
history. By the 19th century the church was in very poor condition
and underwent significant renovation in 1862, sponsored by Tsar
Nicholas I of Russia. The bell tower and the upper storey are
believed to have been built during that time. Further restorations
were carried out by the Turkish government.

The architectural significance of the church lies largely in its
remarkable mural frescos that depict religious scenes. The cycle of
Nicholas at the church represents a significant step in the
development of Byzantine wall painting. The façade of the northern
annex is a unique example of its kind in Anatolia.

The entrance of the church is several meters below street level,
reached by a descending ramp. The church is adorned with fine marble
and faded wall paintings. The nave, which has a set of stepped seats
for the clergy, is covered by a groined vault with a covered passage
in the apse. The stone altar is surrounded by four broken pillars and
the interior is generally well preserved. St. Nicholas’ burial
chamber lies between two pillars near the southern aisles, behind a
broken marble screen. The relics of the saint were stolen by Italian
merchants in 1087 and taken to a shrine in Bari, Italy. But the
Antalya museum still has also some of his relics. It has a reused
Greek-era sarcophagus with a lid that features images of a man and a
woman. The cloisters on the north side of the church are in good
condition.

The popularity of the church is closely related to St. Nicholas, who
is associated with the Santa Claus figure, his miracles in defense of
the innocent and the legends surrounding his life. Born in A.D. 300,
St. Nicholas became the bishop of Myra, a position that revolves
around helping the young and the poor. He is also said to have
attended the first Council of Nicaea, held in 325.

St. Nicholas’ tomb has been a popular pilgrimage destination since
the fifth century and continues to attract thousands of pilgrims to
this day. The church is used for religious services for one day each
year: the Feast of St. Nicholas on Dec. 6.

The feast mostly takes place in the church. During the celebration
visitors to the shrine place candles on and around the saint’s crypt,
and there is a special multi-denominational service held at the
church. Thousands of pilgrims from Italy, Greece and other countries
come to Demre each year, and several members of the clergy attend the
celebrations as well. Visitors can also see relics of the saint in
the local museum. Other than that, it is open for visiting between
8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. during summer and fall and between 8:00 a.m.
and 5:00 p.m. during winter and spring. A small admission charge is
required at the entrance.

Thyatira

The Seven Churches of the Apocalypse — also known as the Seven
Churches of Asia — mentioned in the Book of Revelation, all lay in
Turkey’s Aegean region.

As Christianity gained popularity during the first and second
centuries, the Roman emperors began to be ruthless against the first
Christians. Despite the counteractions, Christianity kept spreading
in Western Anatolia with the help of apostles such as St. Paul and
St. John. As a result of these efforts, the first seven Christian
churches were built in western Anatolia. The Western Turkish province
of Manisa is home to one of those seven churches, Thyatira. The name
of Thyatira appears several times in the Bible.

Near the Akhisar district of Manisa, the visible archeological
remains of Thyatira are located in a fenced-off city block. Among the
ruins there is a basilica that dates back to the fifth or sixth
century. Some of the preserved parts reach about five meters in
height. There are also some columns and arches from an ancient
portico from about the fourth century. Among the ruins of ancient
Thyatira are several Greek inscriptions. Many more have been taken to
the local museum in Manisa. Thyatira is situated 100 kilometers
northeast of Ýzmir on Highway 15.

08.12.2007

BÜÞRA ÝPEKÇÝ ÝSTANBUL