Akdamar Church

I visited this tentative WHS in Spring 2021. The Akdamar Church of the Holy Cross is situated on Akdamar Island in Lake Van in Eastern Anatolia, reachable by frequent ferries that depart on average every 30 minutes, close to the town of Gevaş, between Tatvan and Van.

The small island is a favourite picnic or BBQ destination among locals and natural haven for birds (mostly gulls, owlets, and birds of prey), tortoises and rabbits, with a natural spring providing ample water. A few stairs just after disembarking the ferry boat lead to the 10th century Armenian Cathedral or Church of the Holy Cross which was the seat of the Armenian Apostolic Catholicosate of Aghtamar from 1116 to 1895. A steep limestone cliff rises 80 metres above the lake's level (1,912 metres above sea level) at the western end of the island. Although there is a fence half-way up the cliff, I noticed that the majority of the locals visiting the island, at some point or another, hiked uphill to enjoy the splendid panoramic viewpoint (photo). I followed some of them after noticing that there was an opening through the fence and the security guards nearby weren't against climbing to enjoy the view but were mostly making sure no drones were flown on the island even though there was no mention of this on a sign or on the entrance ticket.

The architecture of the church is based on a form that had been developed in Armenia several centuries …

Akdamar (Holy Cross) Church is located on an small island in Lake Van, in eastern Turkey.

The Armenian Church was built between 915 and 921 AD. It is made of volcanic tufa, which give the church a peculiar dark redish color. The most unique and striking feature of this church are the stone bas-relief decoration. They represent a wide range of themes, mostly religious subjects derived from the Old and the New Testament. Adam and Eve, David and Goliath, Daniel with lions, and a funny scene a Jonah thrown overboard into the whale.

To reach the island, you first need get to a small port about an hour west from Van town. There is no schedule : ferries leave when enough passengers have shown up. My travel guidebook said they usually leave when 15 people have arrived. In summer week-ends, local peaople flocks the boats, as the island is considered a great barbecue spot. I arrived in the port early in a rainy Tuesday afternoon in October, and was skeptical about any chance for a ferry departure. However I only had to wait half an hour, and a boat left when 8 passengers on board. The ride is about twenty minutes and costs 15 lira. On the island, another 15 lira entrance free is recquired. The boat waits for an hour (which is enough for a thorough visit, but if not, it is possible to board any later boat).

The interior of the church is decorated with …