1,000-year-old church is being restored

"Rainwater seeps through the conical dome of Akhtamar's thousand-year-old church, washing away biblical frescoes from one of the finest surviving monuments of ancient Armenian culture. Bullet holes pock the sandstone walls.

After a century of neglect and decades of political wrangling, Turkey has begun to restore the church. The renovation comes as Turkish leaders face pressure from the European Union to improve their treatment of minorities."

"The church is the lone building on a tiny island in a lake. It is covered in scaffolding, as masons replace fallen roof stones to stop rainwater and rebuild the basalt floor dug out by treasure hunters. Experts also will try to restore the frescoes in the interior.

"This is our positive approach, our message," said Turkey's prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has staked his rule on winning membership in the EU."

"Akhtamar has been empty for decades. Some of its reliefs are stained with paint and eggs thrown by vandals. Bullet holes, apparently from shepherds who used the site for target practice, mar the walls.

The church is considered one of the most important examples of Armenian architecture.

Elaborate reliefs project up to 4 inches from brownish-red sandstone walls, almost like sculptures. Some depict biblical stories, such as Jonah being swallowed by the whale and Daniel in the lion's den. Others show cows, lions, birds and other animals to remind worshippers that the church is an image of paradise."
Dallas Morning News | News for Dallas, Texas | Religion: "1,000-year-old church is being restored"