TURKISH MINISTRY OF CULTURE TO RESTORE HONENTS CHURCH AND ST SAVIOUR’S CATHEDRAL

Noyan Tapan

Nov 21, 2008

ISTANBUL, NOVEMBER 21, ARMENIANS TODAY – NOYAN TAPAN. The Turkish
Ministry of Culture and Tourism has initiated to restore a number of
historic monuments in Ani ruins. The first two initiatives regard
Tigran Honents Church and Ebul Menucehr Mosque. Parallel to this
work the Ministry should demand that Armenia solve the problem of
work done in the border quarries.

As the Marmara daily reported referring to a publication in the Taraf
newspaper, Turkey’s goal is to give an international resonance to
this issue, thus preventing the work of quarries.

Excavation work should be done around the walls of Tigran Honents
Church and cleansing work should be done around it. The specialists
have already started to study the wall-paintings inside the
church. Work is also done to restore Saint Saviour’s Church.

The Ministry has planned to make the Ani region an important tourism
center.

Therefore, the village of Ocakli situated in the very territory
of Ani ruins will be restored in the social-economic and cultural
aspect. Training and educational programs for local inhabitants
will be organized, which are aimed at strengthening the necessity
of preserving historic monuments in people’s consciousness. Books
and booklets on Ani will be made, DVDs will be released to promote
tourism. The proper Turkish bodies will cooperate with the Sorbonne
University of Paris in this direction.