Portal of the Church of the Holy Cross / Akdamar Kilesi (Akdamar island, Van Lake - East Turkey)
N 38° 20.428 E 043° 02.206
38S E 328425 N 4245415
Interesting early-medieval stone entrance portal with carved floral and cross motifs and also with Armenian inscriptions is one of many decorative architectonic elements of Church of the Holy Cross (Akdamar Kilesi) in Akdamar island (Van Lake).
Waymark Code: WMC6BY
Location: Türkiye
Date Posted: 07/31/2011
Views: 6
Interesting early-medieval stone entrance portal with carved floral and cross motifs and also with Armenian inscriptions is one of many decorative architectonic elements of Church of the Holy Cross (Akdamar Kilesi) in Akdamar island (Van Lake).
The stunning Church of the Holy Cross is one of the most precious examples of early medieval Armenian sacral architecture preserved in Anatolia. Akdamar and its Church, one of the most beautiful places in East Turkey, is becoming one of the key local touristic locations. The Church of the Holy Cross was once an important Armenian cathedral. The seat of the Armenian Orthodox patriarch, the cathedral was founded by King Gagik between 915 and 921 as part of a royal complex that included a palace, monastery, streets, gardens and terraced parks. The church is all that remains today. The church was designed by the Armenian architect Trdat Mendet (also known as Manuel.