Conservation of the Armenian Church of St. Giragos in Diyarbakir, Nicosia (Cyprus)
Conservation of the Armenian Church of St. Giragos in Diyarbakir, Nicosia (Cyprus) by the St. Giragos Church Foundation (Europa Nostra Grand Prix 2015)
The Armenian Church of St. Giragos, in the city of Diyarbakir, is the main place of worship of the Armenian exiles in this city and is a prime example of the efforts to guarantee their reconciliation with it. The long research process examining historic documents culminated in the re-erection of the lost elements, namely the roof, bell tower and interior furnishings. The Armenian community was greatly invested in the restoration of the building, which in addition to attracting visiting Armenians from elsewhere, has also been a major asset to the improvement of peace and social integration. While the Armenian Church of St. Giragos, located in southeast Turkey, where the population is predominantly Kurdish, is thought to date from the 17th century, some experts hold that it was completely rebuilt in the 1880s. By the end of the 20th century, when the local Armenian population was dwindling, the building was in an extreme state of disrepair, with a roof collapse causing the structure to become derelict. More recently, the St. Giragos Church Foundation, non-governmental groups and concerned individuals have worked towards its restoration, which also required extensive new construction work. The parties initially involved in the action were very keen to protect this valuable cultural asset in order to re-establish it as both a religious and cultural centre. Subsequently, the additional help generously provided by the local authorities made it possible to also complete repair work on the priest’s house, chapel, and other buildings on the site. This project is a success story in local cooperation.
Brief analysis of the case:
It is a religious building with a strong identity value that has suffered significant deterioration due to the abandonment by migration of the religious community that used it. The restoration has been carried out using the traditional materials and techniques already present in the building and carried out by local tradesmen. The intervention involved the reconstruction of some parts of the building with the materials and techniques already used in the building and the total reconstruction of the roof. The restoration uses criteria of legibility given that, although the traditional materials are used, the newly constructed parts can be distinguished. The principle of compatibility and durability, also linked to the use of traditional materials, is also respected.