ARMENIAN CHURCH TO BE HOME OF CULTURE IN CENTRAL ANATOLIAN TOWN

Hurriyet
php?n=armenian-church-to-be-home-of-culture–2010- 04-07
April 8 2010
Turkey

Surp Yerotutyun, an Armenian church constructed in 1881 in the town of
Sivrihisar in EskiÅ~_ehir province and one of the largest in Anatolia,
will be restored.

Speaking to the Anatolia news agency, mayor of Sivrihisar Fikret Arslan
said they wanted to restore many historical buildings in the town,
including Surp Yerortutyun. "We want to renovate historical buildings
in Sivrihisar, and this includes an Armenian church constructed in
1881 and an Armenian bath," Arslan said.

Arslan said the church was one of the biggest ones in Anatolia and
had been used as a depot for a long time. The church was abandoned 20
years ago, he said. "Angel figures in the entrance gate of the church
draw attention. We keep these figures in a safe place because they
are in danger of being stolen. There are frescos, Virgin Mary figures
and writings in the church. It is visited even in this situation,
and the number of visitors has increased in recent years," he said.

The restoration of the Surp Yerortutyun Church will be sponsored by
the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and the church will be
turned into a home of culture. Middle East Technical University and
Gazi University will make environmental arrangements, and roads to
the church will also be restored.

EskiÅ~_ehir Provincial Culture and Tourism Director Osman Gul said
the restoration project was in the final stage. "The project will
be awarded in the coming days, and works will start. The church is
expected to contribute to the district’s tourism when it becomes
a culture house, and the number of visitors is then expected to
increase," he said.