MORE ARMENIAN CHURCHES TO BE RENOVATED IN EASTERN TURKEY

Armradio.am
01.03.2010 11:03

The Governor’s Office in eastern Van province is preparing to restore
two more Armenian churches following the Surb Khach Church on Akhtamar
Island, the Hurriyet Daily News reports.

Deputy Gov. Halil Berk said the Armenian churches at Carpanak Island
and the village of Yukarı Bakraclı are next for renovation. Berk
said they aim to increase the tourism potential of the province,
adding that renovations were completed last year for castles in
HoÅ~_ap and Van along with the mosques in HusrevpaÅ~_a and Kayacelebi.

Berk said renovation projects are nearly finished. "When Van is
mentioned, the first thing that comes to mind is the Akhtamar Island.
But there are four islands in Lake Van and each of them has a church."

Berk recalled that only Surb Khach on Akhtamar Island was renovated
and the one on Carpanak Island will join it in 2010 alongside the
Varakavank Monastery in the village of Yukarı Bakraclı. Berk said
those locations already attract tourists, and they want to attract
as much attention as they can through cooperation with the Ministry
of Culture and Tourism.

The Varakavank Monastery, on the mainland, is also known as the
"seven churches" for its seven connected buildings. The oldest of
the seven is the St. Sophia Church, built in the eighth century.

The church on Carpanak Island is from the sixth century and was
renovated in 1462 and again in the early 1700s after suffering damage
during an earthquake in 1703.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress