Sourb Khach of Aghtamar Church :: ARMENIAN HISTORICAL MONUMENTS

Sourb Khach of Aghtamar Church

Turkey / Van / Gyavash / Aghtamar

Restoration
2005 y․

Its restoration started in 2005, following the decision of the Prime Minister and Ministry of Culture of Turkey (the restoring organisation was Kartalkaya Proje Insaat Sanayi ve Tic. Ltd. Sti. ve Er).

Hakobian Ashot, Archaeological Excavations and Restoration of Monuments in Western Armenia, in: "Vardzk", 2011, N 4, p. 20.

Zakaria Mirdanoghli, an Armenian architect from Constantinople who participated in the restoration of the monument throughout its process, says: “Before the renovation, it was agreed that no novelties were to be introduced, and the church was to be preserved in its original appearance. The broken covering slabs of its upper part were replaced with new ones, and this section was cleared of plants. The facade cracks were covered with a solution composed of the crumbled stones of the church and hydrolic mortar. The wonderful reliefs of its facades have remained intact as only their broken and missing fragments have been replaced. Eventually, the church was washed with clean water of high pressure: no chemical substance or gel, no sand and comb-like tools (he means the metal brushes generally used for the cleaning of buildings - translator) were used for this purpose. The whole stones of the pavements were left in their places, while the empty parts were filled up with multi-coloured natural stones. The frescoes of the church were in a very poor state: they were broken to pieces, loosened off the walls and even obliterated in certain sections. The specimens of these mural paintings, taken from different parts of the monument, were subjected to laboratory analysis, which helped determine the way of their recovery. First of all, the restorers tried “curing” their tiny edges, and after positive results, this method was applied to all their parts. In order to strengthen the parts of the frescoes attached to the walls, a special substance was injected and their surfaces were cleaned. The blue paint and all the dirt covering them were removed. In the course of the excavations carried out around the church, the kitchen, refectory and school of the monastic complex, as well as its rooms for work and rest, its administrative buildings and warehouses were unearthed.”

The Gate, sayî 77, Eylül 2006: Zakarya Mildanoglu: sayfa: 28-30. Hakobian Ashot, Archaeological Excavations and Restoration of Monuments in Western Armenia, in: "Vardzk", 2011, N 4, p. 21.

A photograph of the chapel, adjoining Sourb Khach Church from the north-east, clearly shows that it was formerly covered with serrated slabs, whose upper rows were preserved until the early 20th century and could serve as good grounds for the restoration of the monument in accordance with its original composition. Instead, however, the restorers gave preference to a mode of renovation carried out in a later period in a most primitive way. In fact, the same mistake was also committed during the restoration of certain parts of the slopes of the church roof; for this reason, the monument was not restored in an appearance typical of its construction time and reflects the approach manifested during the poor overhaul carried out with scanty means almost 1,000 years after its erection.

Hakobian Ashot, Archaeological Excavations and Restoration of Monuments in Western Armenia, in: "Vardzk", 2011, N 4, p. 21.

As for the niche where the font of the northern chapel used to be located, it has been adapted into a place where candles are lit now.

Hakobian Ashot, Archaeological Excavations and Restoration of Monuments in Western Armenia, in: "Vardzk", 2011, N 4, p. 21.

The earthen roof of the narthex has been replaced with smooth covering slabs of stone, under which hydro-insulation has been carried out with a hydro-insular package layer. The missing part of the cross relief (it symbolises the scene of the Ascension of the Cross), decorating the section beneath the window of the western facade and deliberately broken in the 1980s, has been filled up with a piece of dressed stone.

Hakobian Ashot, Archaeological Excavations and Restoration of Monuments in Western Armenia, in: "Vardzk", 2011, N 4, p. 21.

The sculptured stone banisters of the second floor of the southern apse, which had been destroyed prior to the renovation, have been replaced with a glass-covered retaining wall fastened to metallic bars. The frescoes have been diligently cleaned of dirt and the blue paint which was added to them later: the old murals, which were unclosed from beneath them with their vivid colours thoroughly preserved, underwent conservation.

Hakobian Ashot, Archaeological Excavations and Restoration of Monuments in Western Armenia, in: "Vardzk", 2011, N 4, p. 21.

2006 y․

After the restoration activities, the small Turkish flag hoisted at one of the extremities of the island in 2006, was replaced by an incomparably larger and higher one which competes with the monument complex inappropriately.

Hakobian Ashot, Archaeological Excavations and Restoration of Monuments in Western Armenia, in: "Vardzk", 2011, N 4, p. 23.

Excavations

The lower stonework of the walls of a multi-dwelling structure, the Catholicosate and other buildings located in the south of the church have been unclosed: for the purpose of their preservation, white sandbags, arranged on one another, have been attached to them from two sides. This mode of preservation can serve its purpose for a very limited period of time, for the sacks will inevitably corrode, after which the sand will sully the church surroundings. Besides, the rows of white sandbags are a damage to the aesthetic image of the church.

Hakobian Ashot, Archaeological Excavations and Restoration of Monuments in Western Armenia, in: "Vardzk", 2011, N 4, pp. 21, 23.

Relief, High Relief

Type Photo
View Exterior
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Colour Negative

Ornamental reliefs on the eastern facade of Sourb Khach Church of Aghtamar

Relief, High Relief

Type Photo
View Exterior
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Colour Negative

Relief, High Relief

Type Photo
View Exterior
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Colour Negative

Relief, High Relief

Type Photo
View Exterior
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Colour Negative

Relief, High Relief

Type Photo
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Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Colour Negative

Relief, High Relief, Animal Reliefs

Samvel Karapetian, Armenia, Yerevan, 2009, p. 326.

Type Photo
View Exterior
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Colour Negative

Relief, High Relief

Type Photo
View Exterior
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Colour Negative

A bas relief representing Adam and Eve carved on the northern wall of Sourb Khach Church of Aghtamar

Fresco, Religious

Type Photo
View Exterior
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Colour Negative
Date 2004 y․

Fresco, Religious

Type Photo
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Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Colour Negative
Date 2007 y․

Fresco, Religious

Type Photo
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Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Colour Negative
Date 2011 y․

Fresco, Religious

Type Photo
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Source Colour Negative

Fresco, Religious

Type Photo
View Exterior
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Colour Negative
Date 2007 y․

In different times, three information boards were photographed in the vicinity of Sourb Khach (Holy Cross) Church of Aghtamar Island. Board No. 1, No. 2 & No. 3
Board No. 1 (in Turkish): Akdamar Kilisesi. Kilise M.S. 915-921 yılları arasında inşa edilmiştir. kilisenin duvarları rölyeflerle iç duvarları ise freskolarla süslenmiştir. (in English) Akdamar Church. The church was built between 915-921 A.D. the exterior walls of the church are decorated with relief and interior walls with frescoes. Transl. from Turkish: Akdamar Church. It was built between 915 and 921. Its outer walls are decorated with reliefs, and the inner ones with frescoes. Boards No. 2 & No. 3: Both of them were placed by the district authorities of Gyavash and have similar contents: (in Turkish) Kilise 915-921 tarihleri arasında Ermeni Vaspurakan Hanedanından Kral I Gagik denetiminde Mimar Keşiş Manauel tarafından inşa edilmiştir. Kilise duvarlarının alt bölümündeki Hıristiyan dini ile ilgili konuları içeren kabartmalarla üst kısımlarındaki İslam sanatı etkili kabatmaların birlikteliği Hıristiyan ve İslam resim programlarının en başarılı ve ilginç örneklerindendir. (in English) Between 915 and 921 dates this church was built by the architech Kesis Manauel controllet by the king I Gagik who is from the dynasty of Armanian Vaspurakan the reliesf that are connected with Christian`s religion on the lover part of church wals and the reliefs that are connected with Islam’s religion on the upper, part of it’s wals have been existed lagether with on walls are succesfull and interesting sampleform Islam and Christian pictures programs. Transl. from Turkish: The church was erected between 915 and 921 by Father Manvel, the architect, under the supervision of King Gagik I from the Armenian princely family of Vaspurakan. The reliefs of the lower parts of its walls, representing the Christian religion, and those of the upper sections, bearing the influence of Islamic art, are in integrity being some of the best and most interesting specimens of Christian and Islamic painting.

Kortoshian Raffi, What is Concealed in the Turkish Information Boards of Historical Monuments in Western Armenia?, in: "Vardzk", 2011, N 4, pp. 1-2. It should be noted that the English texts of the Turkish information boards of Armenian monuments abound in flagrant grammatical, stylistic and even spelling mistakes.

Type Photo
View Exterior
Author Armen Hakhnazarian
Source Colour Negative
Date 1980 y․

Type Photo
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Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Colour Negative
Date 2000 y․

Type Photo
View Exterior
Author Stephen Sim
Source Colour Negative
Date 2004 y․

Type Photo
View Partial view
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Colour Negative

Type Photo
View Exterior
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Colour Negative

Ornamental belts and reliefs on the walls of Sourb Khach Church

Type Photo
View Exterior
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Colour Negative

Ornamental belts and reliefs on the walls of Sourb Khach Church

Type Photo
View Exterior
Author Armen Hakhnazarian
Source Colour Negative
Date 1972 y․

Type Photo
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Source Colour Negative
Date 2007 y․

Type Photo
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Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Colour Negative
Date 2007 y․

The church with the new huge flag that replaced the previous one in the background

Type Photo
View Exterior
Author Archive
Source Black-and-white negative

The chapel located near the north-eastern corner of Sourb Khach Monastery: a partial view of its old indented covering slabs with cylindrical endings

Type Photo
View Exterior
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Colour Negative
Date 2007 y․

The chapel roof after its revetment with smooth slabs