Historic Armenian church on the verge of collapse in Turkey
The historic Armenian Saint Sarkis church of Diyarbakir, Turkey, which has been used as a grain storage and stable throughout its history, is now on the verge of full ruin.
The church has also been used as a raw rice plant at the latest period of its existence, Ermenihaber reports.
The church located in Alipasa neighbourhood of Diyarbakir’s Sur district, is said to have served as a gathering place for Catholic Armenians previously.
There are no exact reports on its construction date in written sources, with no inscriptions preserved in the church area. However, it is supposed to date back to the 16th century based on the church architectural features.
According to Amida (Diyarbakir), a book by Max Van Berchem, the church was built in 1515 by the Ottoman-Armenians of Diyarbakir and was called St. Sarkis. Meantime, historian Gabriel Akyuz, a representative of the Turkish Assyrian community, uses Mor Dumyana name for the church.
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