YEREVAN, 27 APRIL, ARMENPRESS. Holy Cross Church of Van-Akhtamar has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List. As “Armenpress” reports the Turkish news agency “Haberler” informs about this.

The website notes, that the appearance of the Church in the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List contributes to Van to become the center of tourism in Turkey. The website hopes that from now on more tourists will participate in the Divine Liturgy which holds once a year. It should be noted that every year, from September 2009, after reconstruction of the Holy Cross Church of Akhtamar, a Holy Liturgy is served organized by Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople.

During his reign, King Gagik I Artsruni (r. 908-943/944) of the Armenian kingdom of Vaspurakan chose the island of Akhtamar as one of his residences, founding a settlement there. The only structure standing from that period is the Cathedral. It was built of pink volcanic tufa by the architect-monk Manuel during the years 915-921, with an interior measuring 14.80m by 11.5m and the dome reaching 20.40m above ground. In later centuries, and until 1915, it formed part of a monastic complex, the ruins of which can still be seen to the south of the church.