Öşvank / Oshki (Çamlıyamaç)

 church, Georgian (architecture), Armenian Apostolic church

Oshkavank (Armenian: Օշկավանք also Էօշքվանք) or Ashunk' (Armenian: Աշունք, meaning: Autumn) or Oshk (Armenian: Օշկ, Georgian: ოშკი Turkish: Öşk or Çamlıyamaç) founded as Armenian Chalcedonian monastery in 963-973 A.D. by Bagrat and David princes of Armenia's Tayk region. The Monasterys location in Turkey is in the village of Çamlıyamaç, in northeastern Erzurum province, bordering Artvin Porvince. In Armenian tradition Oshkavank was one of the 7 miracles of Tayk region. The monatery's construction was headed by Grigor Oshketsi with the assistance of Mikayel Oshketsi and Hovnan Oshketsi. When construction was finished, the main church had 40m in height, 40m in length and 34m in width. At the time of construction the Oshk village and entire Tayk region were populated by Armenians, that's why the "vank" ending meaning "monastery" in Armenian was added to the name. At the era of strengthening the Georgian kingdom the region became part Georgia, though it was still inhabited by Chalcedonian Armenians. In the Georgian period, Oshkavank monastery along with Khakhu Vank, Ishkhanavank, Chordvank and many others in the region was subjecred to reconstruction by Georgians, who added construction inscriptions in Georgian, frequently using obliteration of older Armenian inscriptions. There are numerous examples of Georgian in inscriptions made above almost deleted Armenian ones at churches listed above. During that obliterations Georgian restorators use new names for the temples, for example: Oshkavank became Oshki, Khakhuvank - Khakhuli, Ishkhanavank - Ishani, Chordvank Chordovani and so on... After the Seljuk and Mongol invasions the Oshkavank monastery was almons destroyed. At the 19th century the monastery was abandoned and in very bad condition, but some Armenian woman took care of it. In the 20th century after the Armenian Genocide the monastery was in same condition. But in 1985 Turkey includes the monument inNational Heritage List. And since the time the major confrontation between the Armenian and Georgian historians about the monastery's origin began. Unfortunatly most of contemporary Georgian historians not to be outdone by their Azeri colleagues, since 1991 began to promote the thesis allegedly almost all Armenian monasteries that were ever included to the Georgian kingdom are neither more nor less... Georgian. They believe this is anthe Georgian monastery from the second half of the tenth century located in the historic province of Tao, now in North-eastern Turkey. Oficially Oshkavank listed as Georgian monastery named "Oshki". Oshki monastery was a major centre of Georgian literature and enlightenment during the Middle Ages.