Armenian church in Kayseri, Turkey, converted into private library as historic churches continue to face neglect and commercialization

KAYSERI, Turkey — Churches and historical sites belonging to the Armenian, Greek, Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean), and other peoples in Turkey are increasingly falling victim to conversion, neglect, vandalization, and commercial exploitation. Many of these sacred sites are being sold off by individuals or companies, only to be repurposed as commercial real estate or shops.

In a recent incident that has sparked concern among Christian communities, the Church of Our Lady, an Armenian church located in the Cumhuriyet neighborhood of Kayseri, has been converted into a private research library. The church, originally constructed in 1800 AD, has undergone significant restoration.

Restoration efforts for the three-story church began in 2016 and were completed in 2020. Now, the once-sacred space, which could originally accommodate 300 worshippers, houses 24,500 books, 10 computers, and 22,000 electronic manuscripts. This transformation of a historic religious site into a library underscores the ongoing challenges faced by Christian heritage in Turkey, as these culturally and spiritually significant sites are increasingly repurposed for non-religious uses.