Cathedral of Kars
The Cathedral of Kars, also known as the Holy Apostles Church (Armenian: Կարսի Սուրբ Առաքելոց եկեղեցի, Karsi Surb Arakelots' yekeghets'i; Turkish: Aziz Havariler Kilisesi or "Church of the Twelve Apostles" 12 Havariler Kilisesi) is a former Armenian Apostolic church in Kars, eastern Turkey. Built in the mid-10th century by the Armenian Bagratid King Abas I (r. 928–953), it was converted into a mosque in 1579. In the 19th and early 20th century it was converted into a Russian Orthodox and later Armenian cathedral. In 1993 it was again converted into a mosque and is called Kümbet Mosque (Turkish: Kümbet Camii, literally "domed mosque"). It currently comprises part of a larger Islamic complex that includes the Evliya Mosque, the biggest mosque in Kars.
| Kars Cathedral | |
|---|---|
Cathedral of Kars, in 2014 | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Armenian Apostolic Church |
| Rite | Armenian Apostolic cathedral (until 1065) Mosque (1579–1877) Russian Orthodox cathedral (1877–1918) Mosque (1918–19) Armenian Apostolic church (1919–20) Kars Museum (1964–78) Mosque (1993–present) |
| Location | |
| Location | Kars, Turkey |
Shown within Turkey | |
| Geographic coordinates | 40°36′40.7″N 43°05′29.2″E |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Cathedral |
| Style | Armenian |
| Founder | Abas I of Armenia |
| Groundbreaking | 930 or 931–2 |
| Completed | 937, 943, or 967 |