Known as the oldest church in Trabzon, Küçük Ayvasıl St. Anna is a three-aisled basilica rebuilt in the 9th century under Basil I, with a Roman-period relief over its south door.
Küçük Ayvasıl St. Anna Church is a place (Church) in Turkey, Trabzon.
Above the south door sits a marble relief of the Roman period, thought to have been lifted from an old temple and set here. The church of Küçük Ayvasıl St. Anna, in Trabzon's Gülbaharhatun neighbourhood, is known as the oldest church in the city.
History
The building was rebuilt in the 9th century, in the reign of Emperor Basil I.
Architecture
The church is a three-aisled basilica, a hall divided lengthwise, laid out from east to west. The naos, the main space where the congregation stands, is completed by one main apse and two side apses. All three are semicircular inside and out, and they project beyond the wall.
Two columns stand in the naos, topped with Ionic capitals, and both columns and capitals reflect Roman style. The interior walls are plastered and carry frescoes, of which only one scene can be made out today: the Descent from the Cross, painted on the southern wall of the naos. Christ's lying body and part of his head are visible, while Mary at his side survives only as a general outline.
Visiting
Conditions and hours can change; check the church page on muze.gov.tr. The building stands in the centre of Trabzon, in the Gülbaharhatun neighbourhood.
Gallery
Frequently asked questions
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Sources (9)
- Küçük Ayvasıl St. Anna Kilisesi / Küçük Ayvasil St. Anna Church (TR ve EN sayfalar) — T.C. Kültür ve Turizm Bakanlığı, Müzeler ve Ören Yerleri
- Küçük Ayvasıl Kilisesi / Saint Anne Church, Trabzon (Wikidata Q15622502) — Wikidata
Photo credits
- Photo: Francesco Bini, CC BY-SA 4.0 — Wikimedia Commons (resized)
- Photo: Rəcəb Yaxşı, CC BY-SA 4.0 — Wikimedia Commons (resized)
- Photo: İhsan Deniz Kılıçoğlu, CC BY-SA 3.0 — Wikimedia Commons (resized)
- Photo: Dosseman, CC BY-SA 4.0 — Wikimedia Commons (resized)
- Photo: Francesco Bini, CC BY-SA 4.0 — Wikimedia Commons (resized)
- Photo: Alaexis, CC BY-SA 3.0 — Wikimedia Commons (resized)
- Photo: Alaexis, CC BY-SA 3.0 — Wikimedia Commons (resized)
