Adır Island () or Lim Island (), is the largest island in

Lake Van Lake Van (; ; ) is the largest lake in Turkey. It lies in the Eastern Anatolia Region of Turkey in the provinces of Van Province, Van and Bitlis Province, Bitlis, in the Armenian highlands. It is a Salt lake, saline Soda lake, soda lake, receiv ...

, located in the northeastern side of the lake. During the

Armenian genocide The Armenian genocide was the systematic destruction of the Armenians, Armenian people and identity in the Ottoman Empire during World War I. Spearheaded by the ruling Committee of Union and Progress (CUP), it was implemented primarily t ...

upwards of 12,000 Armenian women and children, crossed to the isle over a period of three days while a few dozen men covered their retreat from Hamidiye regiments. The situation soon became critical because of a lack of food. Lim Monastery was built by Armenians over the centuries on the island, with Armenian sources indicating the monastery was already founded pre-884, with tradition saying that St. Gregory the Illuminator himself founded it in the 4th century. By the 14th century there were Surp Astvatsatsin, Surp Garabed and Surp Kevork churches. In 1766 the belltower, a chapel and a parish house were built. The monastery functioned until 1918, and has deteriorated ever since. The large, intricate curtain from one of the altars is preserved in very good condition at the museum of San Lazzaro Island in Venice.

Gallery

File:Lim Monastery 19cent.jpg File:Lim Monastery4.JPG, Lim Armenian Monastery in 2009 File:Lim Monastery3.JPG, Lim Armenian Monastery in 2009 File:Lim Monastery1.JPG, Lim Armenian Monastery in 2009 File:Lim Monastery.JPG , Armenian writing on the Monastery in 2009 File:The church on Lim island (Van) 2.jpg, Built-in khachkar File:The church on Lim island (Van) 3.jpg, Remains of a khachkar near the church File:The church on Lim island (Van) 4.jpg, Internal view of the church 2021 File:The church on Lim island (Van) 6.jpg, Lying khachkar

References

External links

San Lazzaro degli Armeni
- page about the Armenian monastery in Venice shows part of the altar embroidery in the background of the photo of Komitas' death mask {{DEFAULTSORT:Adir Island Islands of Lake Van Islands of Van Province Islands of Turkey