Akdamar Church

The Cathedral of the Holy Cross, which is also known as Akdamar Church, is an ancient Armenian church standing on the Akdamar Island, in Lake Van in eastern Turkey! This church is a medieval Armenian Apostolic cathedral, built as a palatine church for the kings of Vaspurakan. With its extraordinary beauty surrounded by astonishing nature, this ancient church is a must-visit place in Van! Standing still since 1921, the church has recently been opened to the public after an extensive restoration. The beautiful architecture of the church is based on a form that had been developed in Armenia several centuries earlier. © istock/birdigol