Saint Bartholomew Monastery

38.14994244.212925Koordinaten: 38 ° 9 '0 "N, 44 ° 12' 47" O

The Bartholomew Monastery (Armenian Սուրբ Բարթողոմէօս Վանք ) is built in the former large Armenian province Vaspurakan in the 13th century Armenian monastery in the village of Albayrak near Başkale, in the province of Van in the far southeast of present-day Turkey. Until the genocide of the Armenians in 1915, the monastery on the Iranian border in the Ottoman Empire was regarded as the most important pilgrimage site of the Armenian people in the.

Location

The monastery is located in the Armenian highlands on a hill in about 2000 height. From the monastery, you have a direct overlooking the valley of the Great Zap.

History

The Santa Bartholomöus Monastery was built on the traditional site of the martyrdom of St. Bartholomew the Apostle, which is attributed to have brought in the first century after Christ Christianity to Armenia. Along with St. Thaddeus St. Bartholomew's is regarded as the patron saint of the Armenian Apostolic Church. The present monastery was built around 1398 and was first mentioned. The monastery was last rebuilt in 1755 and 1878 and restored.

Current situation

During the genocide of the Armenians, the monastery from 1915 to 1916 came under the control of the Turkish military and is since then within the perimeter of an army base. A enter the grounds is not permitted, since it is now a closed military zone. The monastery was founded in 1960 severely damaged by an earthquake. The dome of the church was intact until the 1960s, however, the entire structure is now heavily ruined and disappeared the dome today.

The Turkish authorities want to restore the monastery. The relaxation in the Turkish-Kurdish conflict now make the opening of the site to the public possible. According to the Head of Culture and Tourism Authority in Van restoration is also intended to bring tourism in the region in transition.

Gallery

Saint Bartholomew Monastery