Aghtamar: A Jewel of Medieval Armenian Architecture

Stepan Mnatsakanian

Aghtamar is one of the few surviving medieval Armenian churches in Turkey (10th century). The church, built on an island in Lake Van, is covered with unique biblical and secular sculptures exalting the Armenian King Gagik I. The interior of the building is covered by Armenian iconography. This church was renovated and turned into a museum in 2007.