Abrenk (Aprank) Vank Church

Abrenk (Aprank) Vank Church

Abrenk Vank Church, also known as the Monastery of Saint David of Abrank, is a significant historic structure in Erzincan. Its inscription reveals that the church was constructed in 1854, and it is considered one of the strongest Armenian monasteries in Anatolia.

Despite its impressive architecture, the Abrenk Church is currently neglected and in need of protection. The church is situated on Mount Vank and is difficult to access due to heavy snow for much of the year. Little is known about the monastery's early history, but it served as an episcopal center for the Tercan district during the 19th century, which included 34 Armenian villages. Most of the surviving structures of the monastery date back to this period, and it appears that the monastery was abandoned at some point around 1915. The northern section of the walled enclosure is filled with adjacent buildings, while the south side contains the monastery's principal church, the Surp Hovhannes (Saint John) Church. The entrance to the church is located on the west side, with a tympanum above it featuring an inscribed stone panel dated to 1854. Although the panel has been destroyed, its inscriptions and crosses can still be seen. The church consists of a nave, two aisles, and two apses, and the interior is primarily constructed with plaster-covered stone and large polished slabs used for flooring.

Abrenk (Aprank) Vank Church

Located in the neighborhood is a small chapel called The Chapel of Saint David, situated on a ridge south of the main enclosure. This rectangular church is constructed from re-used masonry and has old sculptural fragments embedded into its walls. The chapel has a barrel vault internally and an arched roof externally. An inscription above the entrance reveals that it was the burial place of an unknown person named David, after whom the monastery was named.

Next to the Chapel of St. David, two khachkar stones, which are 6 meters tall and dated to 1191 and 1194, stand tall. They were cut from a detached rock and originally there were four, but only two remain today. Khachkars are Armenian cross-stones, characterized by a carved memorial monument bearing a cross and often with additional motifs such as rosettes, interlaces, and botanical designs. They are representative of Medieval Christian Armenian art and have been recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage since 2010 due to their symbolic craftsmanship and meaning.