AKHTAMAR CHURCH TO OPEN ON NOVEMBER 4
Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Oct 10 2006
ANKARA, OCTOBER 10, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Opening of the
Akhatamar church, most probably, will take place on November 4,
Marmara states.
Jahid Chertanl who undertook reconstruction work of the church said
that the works started in May 2005 and have been considered completed
from August 30. 2 mln 600 thousand new Turkish liras were spent
for that purpose till now. The reconstruction works were done under
control of 5 specialists, and the number of workers always changed,
according to the work being done. Faces sculptured on the church
walls, wall-paintings were cleaned during the recosntruction work,
the roof, floor were repaired, windows were placed. 30 neighboring
rooms were found during the work, but those rooms were not repaired
as the program did not envisage anything like that. The surroundings
are being cleaned at present, roads are repaired, a moorage, a cabin
for selling tickets for steamer, a room for passing the night, a cafe
and souvenirs shop are being built.
Chertanl also said that a church was repaired in Bitlis, but it
functions for social needs.
As for the Akhtamar recosntruction, there were always contacts
with Armenian architects and Armenians to prevent Armenians’
counter-action. Prime Minister Erdogan attached great importance to
this reconstruction what may assist the Armenian-Turkish relations
and become model one for the whole world. Opening will probably be
held on November 4, by the Prime Minister.
Chertanl spoke about the church history as well, mentioning that it
was built in the 10th century by King Gagik of Vaspurakan.