Nikolauskirche (Latakia)

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The Nikolauskirche or Church of Saint Nicholas in Latakia (كنيسة القديس نيقولاوس في اللاذقية) is a church of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch in Latakia in Syria . It dates from the 6th century.

Location

The church stands in the northeast corner of the intersection of Suq al-Sagha (سوق الصاغة, "Goldsmiths Market") with Al-Muthanna-Ibn-Haritha-Straße (شارع المثنى بن حارثة). To the west is the Obada Ibn al-Samet Mosque (جامع عبادة بن الصامت). About 60 m to the southeast is the Armenian Church of the Holy Mother of God .

history

The Greek Orthodox Saint Nicholas Church is the oldest surviving church in Latakia. It was completed in the 6th century. The original church was much larger than the present one, but has been repeatedly destroyed by earthquakes in its long history. In 1722 the church was restored after the north and west walls collapsed. After another earthquake, the church was merged into one church in July 1845 with the adjoining Mar Musa (St. Moses) church. However, a significant part of the original church no longer belonged to it. Meanwhile, Al-Muthanna-Ibn-Haritha Street, a main axis, runs over a former part of the church, and the Obada-Ibn-al-Samet Mosque on the other side of the street also stands on the foundations of the westernmost part of the once larger church.

architecture

The church is made of sandstone. Its roof is supported by arches. The street level has risen since the time the church was built: the main entrance to the church is below this level. The front of the church is a smooth, flat wall. A small bell tower has a small cross on top of its roof. The current church occupies the easternmost part of the former larger church, while the sections further to the west are taken by Al-Muthanna-Ibn-Haritha Street and the Obada-Ibn-al-Samet Mosque. There are icons in the church from around the year 300. Other icons were brought here from Russia. A large part of the icons can be dated to the 17th and 18th centuries.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d Church of Saint Nicholas, Lattakia / Latakia / Latakkia, Syria, Greek Orthodox. St. Nicholas Center, accessed June 9, 2020.
  2. ↑ a b c الكنائس في مدينة اللاذقية [Churches in the city of Latakia]. Yulian Tours & Travel, accessed June 9, 2020.

Coordinates: 35 ° 31 ′ 5.8 "  N , 35 ° 46 ′ 52.7"  E