| Church of Saint Anne | |
|---|---|
Exterior view of the church
| |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Greek Orthodox Church |
| Rite | Byzantine Rite |
| Status | Publicly accessible landmark |
| Location | |
| Location | Trebizond, Turkey |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Monastery |
| Groundbreaking | 6th century AD |
| Completed | 7th century AD |
The Church of Saint Anne (Greek: Ἁγία Άννα, Turkish: Küçük Ayvasıl Kilisesi) is thought to be the oldest church in Trabzon city, Turkey, dating to the 6th or 7th century. It has not seen service in over a century, but has recently (2021-22) been thoroughly restored. With whitewash removed, all remaining fresco's have now become visible. The church is accessible to the public free of charge during daytime hours.
The building is a small, early Byzantine-style structure, with a barrel vaulted nave and aisles,[1] and a sanctuary flanked by side-chamber formed from three curved apses.[2] Spolia is used in the building, with a classical sarcophagus used to form a tympanum over the main entrance door, showing a standing warrior and a winged Nike.[3]
It is possible the church was built around the 6th or 7th centuries AD. On a relief slab above the south door there is an inscription stating that St. Anne was restored during the joint reigns of Basil I, Leo VI and Alexander in 884/85.[4]
In 2021/22 the church was restored. Its exterior and interior cleaned. All whitewash was removed, making previously hidden fresco's visible. [5]
41°00′22″N 39°43′24″E / 41.00611°N 39.72333°E / 41.00611; 39.72333
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 | This article about a church building or other Christian place of worship in Turkey is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
