23 October 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

Historical Armenian church 500-year-old in southeastern Turkey set to be restored

Work has been initiated to transfer the historical Armenian Church, which was built in the 16th century in the province of Diyarbakır in southeastern Turkey, which was not used because it had no congregation and was ruined over time, to future generations.

The historical church, which has an area of 3,769 square meters in the central Sur district of Diyarbakır, and whose ownership belongs to the Diyarbakır Surp Giragos Armenian Church Foundation, will be restored.

The church, whose upper structure was completely destroyed, is also known as the Paddy Church as it was used as a paddy factory for a long time.

An inscription, now in the Diyarbakir Archeology Museum, says the Christian place of worship was last repaired in 1840.
An inscription, now in the Diyarbakir Archeology Museum, says the Christian place of worship was last repaired in 1840. Photo: AA

An inscription, now in the Diyarbakir Archeology Museum, says the Christian place of worship was last repaired in 1840.

Cemil Koc, head of the Culture Ministry’s Directorate of Surveying and Monuments in Diyarbakir, said the 16th-century building deteriorated over time due to a decline in congregations.



📣 Our WhatsApp channel is now LIVE! Stay up-to-date with the latest news and updates, just click here to follow us on WhatsApp and never miss a thing!!



He said the premises was used as a warehouse by various public institutions in the past.

The official added that the “monumental” building has immense importance for Diyarbakir. “Measurements that will form the basis of the building survey and projects are being made. Material samples have also been taken, which will help in getting more information about the church’s architectural style.”

Ergun Ayik, the head of the foundation, said the building is one of the two surviving churches in Diyarbakir, and that they have begun the process to return it to its former condition.
Ergun Ayik, the head of the foundation, said the building is one of the two surviving churches in Diyarbakir, and that they have begun the process to return it to its former condition. Photo: AA

Ergun Ayik, the head of the foundation, said the building is one of the two surviving churches in Diyarbakir, and that they have begun the process to return it to its former condition.

The Diyarbakir Directorate of Surveying and Monuments was instructed to make the project service procurement of the church, which needs to be repaired in order to transfer it to future generations, with an allowance to be met by the Diyarbakir Investment Monitoring and Coordination Presidency (YIKOB).

Contribution of immovable cultural assets, with the allowance provided by the Governor’s Office, a tender was held on 28 December 2021 by the Diyarbakır Directorate of Surveying and Monuments. The contract for the tender, which was made for a price of 941 thousand 640 Turkish liras, was signed.

Related Articles

In Turkey’s western Uşak province, 2,000-year-old statues have been unearthed

19 December 2021

19 December 2021

During the excavations in the ancient city of Blaundos in the Ulubey district of Uşak, two statues of 2000 years...

Mysterious Handprints Found in the Ancient Mayan Cave

1 May 2021

1 May 2021

In Mexico, home to ancient civilizations such as the Maya, Aztec, and Inca, archaeologist Sergio Grosjean found dozens of mysterious...

Earliest evidence of forest management discovered at the La Draga Neolithic site in Spain

19 July 2023

19 July 2023

Archaeologists have discovered the earliest evidence of forest management at the La Draga Neolithic site in northeastern Spain. A scientific...

The history of Kültepe Mound in central Turkey goes back another 300 years

12 December 2021

12 December 2021

In Kültepe, where the first written documents of Anatolia were unearthed, the date based on 5 thousand years was updated...

Japan Researchers Uncover Lost Villa Believed to Belong to First Roman Emperor

19 April 2024

19 April 2024

Researchers from the University of Tokyo have discovered a nearly 2,000-year-old building at a site with ancient Roman ruins buried...

Scandinavia’s first farmers slaughtered the hunter-gatherer population, according to a new study

9 February 2024

9 February 2024

Following the arrival of the first farmers in Scandinavia 5,900 years ago, the hunter-gatherer population was wiped out within a...

Two unique mid-14th-century shipwrecks discovered in Sweden

22 April 2023

22 April 2023

During an archaeological dig in western Sweden this summer, the remains of two medieval merchant vessels known as cogs were...

Lion-Head Stone Spout Channels Wine in New Bathonea Wine & Olive Oil Workshop Discovery

16 October 2025

16 October 2025

A finely carved lion-head stone spout has emerged from the soil of Bathonea, the ancient harbor city lying along Istanbul’s...

British archaeologists unearth the 1200-year-old man-made island

13 February 2022

13 February 2022

A team holding excavations and archaeological surveys on the historic Al Sayah Island in Muharraq, Bahrain found that it’s ‘man-made’,...

Archaeologists reveal largest paleolithic cave art site in Eastern Iberia

17 September 2023

17 September 2023

More than 100 ancient paintings and engravings thought to be at least 24,000 years old were found in the cave...

Fossil of a hominid child who died almost 250,000 years ago discovered in South Africa

8 November 2021

8 November 2021

A team of international and South African researchers uncovered the fossil remains of an early hominid kid who died almost...

7,000-Year-Old Temple at Risk: Urgent Calls to Save Santa Verna Archaeological Site in Gozo

17 July 2025

17 July 2025

Archaeologists and heritage conservationists are sounding the alarm over continued development near the Santa Verna archaeological site, a prehistoric temple...

2,000-Year-Old Roman Stele Decorated with an Eagle and Greek Inscriptions Found in Manbij, Syria

23 August 2025

23 August 2025

A striking Roman-era stele carved from black basalt, featuring a detailed eagle clutching a wreath and adorned with Greek inscriptions,...

The Oldest Known Map of Europe, “Saint-Bélec Slab”

6 April 2021

6 April 2021

An ornate Bronze Age stone slab (Saint-Bélec slab) that was excavated in France in 1900 and forgotten about for over...

Europe’s Oldest Plough Marks Discovered in Switzerland and Testifying the Use of Animals in Agriculture 7000 Years Ago

8 March 2024

8 March 2024

Excavations at the Anciens Arsenaux site in Sion, Switzerland, researchers revealed evidence that Neolithic farmers used animal traction to pull...