Cathedral of the Holy Cross, Aghtamar Island
Surb Khach Aghtamar; Akdamar Kilisesi (Turkish)
Tenth-century Armenian cathedral on an island in Lake Van, with the most important programme of medieval Armenian relief sculpture (Old Testament cycle on the exterior walls). Seat of an Armenian Catholicosate from c. 1116 to 1895. The cathedral survived the destruction of its surrounding monastic complex in the late nineteenth century and the deportation of the Armenian population of Van in 1915. Restored by the Turkish state in 2005-07 and reopened in March 2007 as a "museum" without cross or altar; a one-off mass was permitted in September 2010, with a small cross briefly installed in October 2010 and then removed. No regular liturgy.
Tenth-century Armenian cathedral on an island in Lake Van, with the most important programme of medieval Armenian relief sculpture (Old Testament cycle on the exterior walls). Seat of an Armenian Catholicosate from c. 1116 to 1895. The cathedral survived the destruction of its surrounding monastic complex in the late nineteenth century and the deportation of the Armenian population of Van in 1915. Restored by the Turkish state in 2005-07 and reopened in March 2007 as a "museum" without cross or altar; a one-off mass was permitted in September 2010, with a small cross briefly installed in October 2010 and then removed. No regular liturgy.