The Aghtamar monastery and cathedral that sit on Aghtamar island were built by Armenians in the 10th century AD. It existed as a monastic site and community until 1915 when the community was destroyed. By 1951 the whole site was abandoned, extensively vandalised and was set for demolition, fortunately it was saved. It has undergone extensive and somewhat damaging restoration in recent years often not sympathetic to the sites original construction. The carvings that adorn its outer walls are among the most fascinating aspects of the Cathedral.
Creator
Joshua Bryant
Date of Visit
18th May 2015
Contributor
Joshua Bryant
Rights
Metadata and all media released under Creative Commons
unless otherwise indicated
Type
Architecture
Tags
Armenia, Armenian, C10th, Cathedral, Church, Monastery, Turkey
Collection
Item Type
Architecture
Citation
Joshua Bryant, “Aghtamar monastery and the Cathedral of the Holy Cross.,” Architecture and Asceticism, accessed April 19, 2024, https://architectureandasceticism.exeter.ac.uk/items/show/451.