Armenian churches become cattlesheds and military objects in Turkey, and cafes and restaurants in Armenia.
All Armenian cultural and religious monuments that are located far from main roads of Turkey are not being destroyed, but used as habitations and cattlesheds. According to Samvel Karapetyan, the chairman of the “Era” humane society and historian, the church of St.Bartholomew in Turkey, turned into a military base, can be an example of such attitude. Approaching and taking pictures of this church is obviously prohibited. To the North of the Ani town, the ancient capital of Armenia, situated now on the Turkish territory, Armenian monuments are being slowly destroyed by Turkish shepherds without any attention paid by the government to safeguarding of the antiquities.
In contrast to Turkey, Iran treats Armenian heritage differently. Iran is the only country bordering Armenia which keeps Armenian monuments under the government protection. Not so long ago a brochure listing locations of most of the Armenian churches in Iran (exactly 400 churches) was issued in Iran. It says that “the nation that creates culture is able to respect culture of another nation”.
UNESCO intends to take over the protection of the Armenian churches and some other architectural structures, including St.Fadeus and St.Stepanos monasteries and “Tsor-Tsora” church. The president of Iran took personal care of including St.Fadeus monastery in the list of UNESCO protected monuments.
Mr.Karapetyan reminded that historical monuments located on the territories adjacent to the Mountainous Karabakh are in a very poor condition, as well as in Armenia. Armenia suggested to include the Noravank complex into the UNESCO list. However the UNESCO committee failed to visit Noravank churches – a cafe on the approach to them “blocked” its way. “UNESCO has very strict rules and conditions. We are waisting our time here.” said the UNESCO representatives. Same problem threats the Akhpat church. Though it is already under UNESCO protection, it can be excluded from the list, because the head of the local administration, pursuing his personal interests, decided to build a restaurant under the walls of the fortress.
It is difficult to exaggerate the indifference of the Armenian government to protection of the national heritage. Armenian delegation remained indifferent to the opening of the “restored” Armenian “Surb Khach Akhtamar” church of the Vth century in Turkey, where Turkish authorities changed its name to erase all traits and evidence of the Turkish lands being Armenian before. Armenian government does not pay due attention to the renaming and rebuilding of the Armenian churches in Turkey and Azerbaijan and the “georgianization” of Armenian churches in Georgia…
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