Св. Крест Вана при стрельбе

[Armenian Genocide]

фотография ноября, 2004

The 10th Century Armenian Church In Turkey As Target For ShootingPractice

* From: Assembly of Armenians of Europe <[email protected]>

* Date: Fri, 12 Nov 2004 14:03:51 +0400 (AMT)

Armenian version and the photo of the church carving are attached.

PRESS RELEASE

REF: PR/04/11/013

Assembly of Armenians of Europe

Contact: Armine Grigoryan

Rue de Treves 10, 1050 Brussels

Tel: +32 2 647 08 01

Fax: +32 2 647 02 00

THE 10TH CENTURY ARMENIAN CHURCH IN TURKEY AS TARGET FOR SHOOTING PRACTICE

Brussels, 11/11/2007 - The correspondent of the Milliyet newspaper

(Turkey) alerts from Van (Eastern Turkey) that the marvelous carvings of

the 10th century church of Akhtamar (Lake Van, Eastern Turkey) are

regularly being used as targets for shooting practice by visitors. The

newspaper published also a photo where one can see the state of carvings

after such visits. The correspondent reports that the church is

protected by a guard in the summer time only during the working hours.

During the rest of the day the visitors entertain themselves by shooting

on the carvings of the Akhtamar Church, and some of them even try to

find some treasure. Pr. Veli Seçkin, professor at the archeology

department of the University of Van says that there are rumors among the

population that there is treasure cached in the island of Akhatamar.

Even the guard of the Church was arrested while he was ~Shunting for

treasure~T.

Already in May 2004 the newspaper Zaman alerted that the famous church

of the Holy Cross of the Akhtamar Island in Lake Van was almost in

ruins.

The church, which is visited by many foreign tourists, is badly negleted

and close to ruins. The church has been neglected and harmed by treasure

hunters and is at risk of collapsing. Both its foundation and ceiling

have cracks and holes.

The City of Van's Culture and Tourism Province Director, Bilal Sonmez,

told Zaman that a project for the preservation of the historical

identity of the church is already being prepared. Sonmez said that the

issue has already been transferred to the Culture and Nature Assets

Council and that the directorate is waiting for a decision.

Unfortunately the above-mentioned project for the preservation of the

historical identity of the church was never carried out and the Church

is not protected by UNESCO, since each country decides which are the

monuments to be protected by UNESCO.

The Assembly of Armenians of Europe and upon its request many Armenians

all around the world sent alert letters to UNESCO, but they remained

without answer.

In order to raise the awareness of the European an exhibition ~SArmenian

Architectural Heritage in South Caucasus and Middle East~T, organized by

the Assembly of Armenians of Europe with the co-operation of the

Research on Armenian Architecture under the patronage of the MEP Jonas

Sjostedt (GUE,NGL, Sweden) took place in the European Parliament,

Brussels at the end of September 2004. The exhibition was composed of 4

parts ~V Armenia, Turkey, Iran, Azerbaijan. The photos in Azerbaijan and

Turkey show clearly the wanton and premeditated vandalism and

destruction of the Armenian Architectural monuments in those countries.

Indeed, such behavior is the direct consequence of the denial of the

Armenian Genocide committed by the Ottoman Empire in 1915 and which is

not recognized yet by the Republic of Turkey. We believe that such

attitude from the Republic of Turkey aspiring the EU full membership is

not acceptable and should not be tolerated.

Hereby we call upon the UNESCO, European Institutions and international

organizations to urge Turkey to stop destroying the Armenian

Architectural monuments which are located in the territory of the actual

Republic of Turley and instead to begin a genuine programme of

protection and preservation of this great cultural heritage that belongs

to the whole of Europe and the world.

***

Akhtamar Chruch

The Church of Holly Cross, the Akhtamar Church is situated in Lake Van,

Eastern Turkey. The Church was built during the reign of King Gakik I of

the Vaspurakan Dynasty during the years 915 - 921 B.C. This is one of

the finest jewels of Armenian architecture. In its design and conception

of volumes and surfaces, this sanctuary is an intellectually original

variation of the cruciform and central cupola'd churches of the high

Middle Ages. The church has a four leaved clover plan with a domed

center, and it is built from red colored cut tufa stone. All the

interior walls and even the cupola are covered with beautiful frescoes,

the best of which is the one painted on the high altar wall representing

the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, sitting on a white donkey.

Because of its novel conception, its high reliefs and frescoes of rare

artistic value

[Armenian Genocide]

A vot i drugoy foto.............