Apostle Church (Ani)
The Apostle Church ( Havariler Kilisesi in Turkish ) is a medieval Armenian church located in the ruins of the former Armenian capital Ani , in the Eastern Anatolia region of modern-day Turkey .
The church dates from the 11th century and is dedicated to the Holy Apostles , it is called in Armenian : Սուրբ Առաքելոց եկեղեցի Surp Aṛak'elots' egeghets'i .
Location and characteristics
The Apostle Church is located north of Ani , capital of the Kingdom of Armenia in the far east of Turkey in the province of Kars on the border with the Republic of Armenia ; the church itself is 500 meters further north. On the site there is the Saint Gregory Church of Abugramenz 200 meters further southwest and the Church of Saint Gregory von Gagkschen 220 meters further northwest.
The church is completely in ruins: the only part that is still standing is the Shamatun . It has a square shape with a dome on four pillars. A lantern covers the central opening of the dome and forms a kind of truncated pyramid. The political and economic decisions of the city of Ani are engraved in the walls - decorated with ornaments. They concern decisions about the taxes for silk construction and picture weaving from the year 1276, as well as the prohibition of trade on the streets during the earthquakes, also from the 13th century.
The Apostle Church is also square on the outside. The exterior plan is a quadruple: a central square surrounded by four semicircular apses .
Web links
Individual evidence
- ^ S. Sim: Apostles Church. Virtual Ani, accessed February 6, 2014 .
Coordinates: 40 ° 30 ′ 31.4 " N , 43 ° 34 ′ 14.5" E