QUAKE CRACKS DOME OF ANCIENT ARMENIAN CHURCH IN VAN
Today’s Zaman, Turkey
Oct 28 2011
The 10th-century Armenian Church of the Holy Cross on Akdamar (Ahtamar)
Island in Lake Van has a crack in its dome because of the magnitude
7.2 earthquake that struck the province of Van on Sunday.
Officials said their initial observations show that there is no other
serious damage to the church but they are waiting for the aftershocks
to end before evaluating the whole structure of the church.
The Armenian Orthodox Church of the Holy Cross occupies a special
place in medieval Armenian art and architecture. In September 2010,
95 years after religious services ended, the church was reopened as a
museum and operated by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Religious
service is allowed only once a year at the church.
Meanwhile, officials said that buildings belonging to charitable
foundations in Van were not harmed by the quake. Among them is the
450-year-old Husrev PaÅ~_a Medresesi.
However, the minarets of the Husrev PaÅ~_a Mosque and the Kaya Celebi
Mosque have visible cracks.
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