Öşvank Kilisesi

The church, whose architecture belongs to Grigor of Öşk, has the large dome of the structure dedicated to John the Baptist repaired between 1022-1028 by the Byzantine Emperors 2nd Basileios and 7th Constantin.

The frescoes seen in abundance in the interior sections of the church were made in 1036 by Jojil Potrikios. There are twelve windows in the drum of the dome. The outer faces of the windows are bordered with relief moldings. These pointed-arched, tall and narrow windows reflect the Gothic style. Although the church, which has a cross plan, has cross wings (trancept) on the exterior, inside there is a three-lobed section formed by the apses and a long arm continuing from it. The bases of the columns in the interior sections of the structure are decorated with vegetal motifs and religious pictures. On the front facade of the church, whose apse top has collapsed, one of the columns belonging to the additional section in the porch has not survived to the present day and a tree trunk has been placed in its stead. The west cross arm is surrounded by additional spaces on the west, north and south facades. While the two-storey northern space belongs to the initial construction, those on the south and west were added later. Inside the church there are sections such as a bath, dormitory, baptistery, priests' houses, kitchen and library.

Source: Erzurum Travel Guide Book Tablet İletişim Publishing House

Places to Visit in Erzurum Address: Çamlıyamaç village / Uzundere