Elazig tadem venk church (Surp Asdvadzadzin): Conservation issues and evaluation

Elazığ, located in the Upper Euphrates region of Eastern Anatolia, has been home to many civilizations throughout history. Harput, which has been a settlement area since the Paleolithic Age, is located 5 km away from northeast of the center of Elazığ. Due to its strategic importance as a bridge between Mesopotamia and Central Anatolia, Elazığ has remained indivisible and has been under the rule of many civilization and empires. The most significant civilizations among these are the Urartians, Byzantines, Seljuks, and the Ottoman Empire. Throughout its history, Elazığ has accommodated cultures of different beliefs. During various periods, many types of structures have been built, for religion occupying a significant place. The churches constructed during the Byzantine and subsequently in Ottoman periods, which were built with the rights granted to non-Muslims, hold an important position in terms of religious architecture. Especially among the Armenian population living in these regions, churches serving as places of worship were situated in different locations within the urban fabric. Tadem Venk (Surp Asdvadzadzin) Church is a clover-shaped rural church that holds great importance in Armenian architecture. In its current state, the building is located in Venk Hamlet, Yalnız Village, in the Central district of Elazığ province, without protection. Tadem is known as Dadima, the administrative center of Armenia under the Byzantine Empire. Hence, the region holds significant importance for Armenians. Tadem Venk (Surp Asdvadzadzin) Church consists of an apse and naos in the east, a jamatun in the west, two pastophorium rooms opening to the jamatun, and a priest's room in the south. The structure has a clover-shaped plan, a dome covered with an octagonal drum on a square base without a load-bearing system. The aim of this thesis is to document the Tadem Venk (Surp Asdvadzadzin) Church and identify its structural deterioaration, as well as to propose conservation solutions. In its current state, the monumantal building, with its authenticity, is not in good structural condition. In the event of a natural disaster such as an earthquake or flood, the structure may be damaged due to both structural issues and roof and walls. In this study, restitution proposals were prepared to determine the previous state of the structure and the added sections in different periods. Based on the principles of conservation, conservation issues were identified, intervention decisions made into consideration and a restoration project was developed. The aim of this study is to draw attention to the building and identify the problems for its preservation in an authentic manner, and to create a conservation project.