To the northwest from Erzurum: the road in the Penalty. To Olt and the Armenian church in Turkey of Bann
How to reach Bana, the Armenian church in Turkey
Having turned at an intersection to the right (on the East), on the highway 80, you will move in the direction to Gel and Kars. In 28 km for Olt (in 37 km to the southwest from Gel) directly before sharp narrowing of the plain, on the northern river bank Penekchai (Ирлагач) you will see the Armenian church in Turkey to Bann (Bana) VII century. In the local Turkish village Penek it call Banak. To reach Bana from that place where you will see it for the first time, it is necessary to pass 4 km on the East (14, 5 km from an intersection), and later to curtail on a back road which sharply turns back at the gorge beginning, to a descent after the highway will cross the river. Pass the village Penek (Penek), turn to the left, and through 2, 8 km you will approach on church which will be shown in the northeast in an extent of the most part of your way. In quite good weather if the summer in Turkey has stood out serene, to Bana it is possible to test to reach and on the ordinary, not all-wheel drive, leased car in Turkey.
Bana's sight, the Armenian church in Turkey
Having settled down on a hillock among water meadows, the church dominates over districts against the red-brown rocks which have hung over it. At the time of the Crimean war, in 100 years after it was left by Christians, Turks have turned church into a bastion, having built a firm shaft which till this moment it is possible to watch from its South side. In 1877-1878 Russian volleys of tools have demolished the highest part of church, and at the end of the XIX century the most part of its laying has been taken out for construction in Olt the latest church. Such makary, from an initial big three-storyed rotunda the ground floor half buried in own ruins has remained only and it remains very impressing, worthy ranks of sight of Turkey. The plan of church is similar (though is not similar) on the plan of a bulky rotunda in Zvartnotse in East Armenia that is logical because they were built by the same person, the Catholicos (bishop) Narses I. It has constructed this church in 653-658. East apse has kept a colonnade similar to later colonnade of church in Ishkhan with spacious gallery behind it. To the chagrin, only one column has kept the carved capital.
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