Vintage Embossed Copper Wall Decoration of The Holy Cross Cathedral, Akhtamar during the Soviet Era, Armenian Cathedral, Chekanka Rare antique vintage embossed copper wall decoration made in Armenia in the Soviet era 1970s or even early in the 1960s which evokes the Cathedral of the Holy Cross Akhtamar in Van. The Holy Cross (Akhtamar) Cathedral in Van was built in 915-921 by the order of King I. Gagik, to shelter a piece of the True Cross that is told to be brought to whereabouts of Van in the 7th century after being smuggled from Jerusalem to Iran. The cathedral is considered to be one of the most valuable examples of medieval Armenian architecture. This church is located on the island of Akhtamar, 45 kilometers from the center of Van, and is one the richest historical constructions in Mesopotamia. The centuries-old presence of the church and the surrounding Armenian populations continued until the early 20th century. The history of the church drastically changed during the armed conflict that began among Armenians and Muslims before WWI in Van. In 1915, the Armenian genocide took place, causing the death of more than a million Armenians. The genocide continues to be denied by the Turkish state. In the course of the massacres, the monks of Akhtamar were killed by Muslims. Thus in addition to its historical and religious value, in the collective memory of Armenians, the church is also perceived as a place where atrocities were committed against their people. Like other Armenian properties in the region, the Akhtamar Church was extensively vandalized after the genocide by local people looking for valuables they believed the Armenians had hidden and left behind in hopes of coming back. Following the deportation and murder of the Armenians, a cultural genocide took place, targeting the abandoned properties of non-Muslims in Anatolia. Although Turkey became a dual party system in 1950, the Democrat Party (DP) that took power did not alter the policies of the Turkish state towards non-Muslim populations. In 1951, a decision was adopted by the DP government that would have led to the demolition of a majority of the abandoned historical properties in Turkey. The famous novelist Yasar Kemal, at the time merely a journalist, succeeded in preventing this by using his networks and the media. In subsequent decades, the church remained abandoned in the absence of an Armenian community in the region. Height 26cm – 10.23in Width 18.5cm – 7.28in Weight 468gr