Hagia Haralambos Church restored into arts center

İZMİR - Anatolia News Agency

The church has been restored and now serves as a culture-arts center. AA photo

The Hagia Haralambos Church, which had been neglected in İzmir’s town of Çeşme for many years, has recently been restored and reopened as a cultural center.

The church, which was built in 1832 as a Greek Orthodox place of worship, was restored by a Çeşme Municipality initiative with the support of the Province Special Directorate.

The historic structure was renovated at a cost of 2 million Turkish Liras and transformed into an important place in the town’s artistic life.

Çeşme Mayor Faik Tütüncüoğlu said that the nearly ruined structure drew great interest after its reopening as a culture and arts center, and that applications for 2013 exhibitions were almost full.