Armenian St. Bartholomew Monastery now accessible to visitorsJuly 11, 2013 - 13:51 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The Armenian St. Bartholomew Monastery, located in the village of Albayrak in Van province, Turkey, is now accessible to visitors. The monastery had been out of reach to visitors for many years because military barracks had been built around it. However, according to a report by the Radikal daily, the barracks were recently moved outside the village as part of the settlement process, launched in October of 2012 to resolve the country's long-standing Kurdish problem. The military barracks were moved to another location and as they no longer encompass the monastery, people can freely visit the site once again, World Bulletin said. The monastery, which was built in the 13th or 14th century and was renovated circa 1650, 1760 and 1877, is located atop a mountain facing the Zap Valley in Van's Başkale district. Access to the monastery was forbidden 31 years ago by the Turkish military when the barracks were built there as a measure against attacks by the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). In a state of disrepair, the roof has been completely destroyed, and if the monastery is not reconstructed soon, the remaining walls risk crumbling. The structure as it is today has traces of 19th century architectural restoration. According to Radikal, Van Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism head Muzaffer Aktuğ has said that the monastery is in poor condition after not having been restored in decades. He added that the Culture and Tourism Ministry recently launched a large-scale restoration project for the monastery and that the directorate is expending great efforts to restore the province's historical monuments and open them to tourists. Top stories Six total incidents have burned 19 old-growth trees. Friday night 8 trees were torched along the beautiful main entrance. The EU does not intend to conduct military exercises with Armenia, Lead Spokesperson for EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Peter Stano says. Hikmet Hajiyev has said that there is no place for USAID operation in Azerbaijan any longer. A telephone conversation between Putin and Pashinyan before the CSTO summit is not planned, Peskov says. Partner news | Azerbaijan must respect human rights, Scholz tells Aliyev German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has called for greater respect for human rights in Azerbaijan. Armenia: Defense Ministry warns against involving army in political processes The Ministry’s statement came after a video surfaced online, showing soldiers joining the protests in Tavush. Ucom equips four bus stops in Ijevan with free Wi-Fi Ucom now provides free Wi-Fi coverage in smart bus stops in four communities of Ijevan. Armenia, Russia discuss life extension of Metsamor nuclear plant Issues regarding the extension of life of the 2nd power unit of the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant were discussed in Yerevan. |