OsVank

It was easier to locate this cathedral. It sat on a hillside and sticks out like a sore thumb amid a Turkish village. There was a mosque built right next to it. As with every church I walk the perimeter to survey and take pictures of the exterior first. "Survey".... I feel like the English explorer, Gertrude Bell who spent considerable time surveying old Byzantine churches in Turkey, Syria and Iraq. It was a triumph to have located this church, I felt like Indiana Jones. We met another visitor who was leaving as we arrived. Other than that places like this hardly see any visitors. One needs to rent a car to get to these places or pay an expensive taxi ride which was what we did. I had to find an ATM machine many times during the trip. It was worth it, when would I ever return? This is Georgian, built in the 10th century. While our taxi driver sits and chat with the locals, we went surveying the church. It was a very important church in its hey day. Click here to read more http://www.choruh.com/en/tarih/kiliseler/the-monastery-of-osk-oskvank