The Akdamar Memorial Museum (Church) is situated on Akdamar Island, the second largest island of Lake Van, in the vicinity of the Gevaş district of Van. The church was commissioned by the Armenian Vaspurakan King Gagik I Ardsruni as a palace church and constructed by the architect Monk Manuel between 915 and 921 AD. The Akdamar Church is a testament to the cultural diversity and interaction of the Vaspurakan Kingdom, which ruled in and around Van between 908 and 1021 under the Abbasids. The church occupies a significant position in the history of architecture, both in terms of its architectural design and the decorations that adorn it. The church is constructed according to a square, four-leaf clover plan with niches in the corners, which is known as the Hripsime type in Armenian architecture. The chapel in the north-east of the church was constructed between 1296 and 1336, the jamatun in the west between 1763 and 1766, and the bell tower in the south in the late 18th century. The church underwent restoration in 2005-2006 and was subsequently opened as a memorial museum in 2007. The reliefs surrounding the facades of the church depict a diverse array of subjects, including Jesus Christ and Mary, apostles, prophets, various religious scenes from the Bible and Torah, Armenian nobles, palace life, hunting scenes, figures from daily life, various animals, fruits, floral and geometric motifs. The church is regarded as one of the most brilliant examples of Armenian art from the Middle Ages in terms of its architectural design. The name Akdamar (Ahtamar) is derived from a local legend. According to the legend, Tamara, the daughter of a monk who lived on the island, fell in love with a young shepherd who lived on the opposite shore. The young shepherd swims to the island each night, following the lantern held by Tamara. One night, the young shepherd attempted to swim to the island once more, but was caught in the waves during a storm and drowned while shouting the name of his beloved, saying "Ah Tamara!". The young girl, who had become aware of the situation, could not stand it and left herself in the waters of Lake Van. Since that time, the island has been known as Ahtamar (Akdamar).
AKDAMAR MONUMENTAL MUSEUM
