Sole Greek Orthodox Church, Surviving 1922 Fire, Restored In Izmir

The sole Greek Orthodox church that survived the fire in the Aegean province of Izmir in 1922 has been restored, municipal executives said on Sunday.
Executives of Izmir Metropolitan Municipality released a statement in which they said the restoration of the historical Ayavukla Church which were launched in 2008 were about to be completed.
"The church will be used as a social and cultural center after the renovation," the statement said.
With the restoration, the Jesus Christ figure, which was overshadowed by wall paints, as well as the frescoes depicting St. John and angels Michael and Gabriel have been unearthed.
The Ayavukla Church of Basmane neighborhood was constructed by the Greek Orthodox community in the second half of the 19th century.
It was the only Greek Orthodox church that survived the fire of 1922, which was a historic event in Izmir's history.
The building started to serve as a museum with Ataturk's directives in 1924, it was later used as an opera rehearsal hall.
(BRC)