Site: Kars
Country: Turkey
Region: Historic Armenia, Eastern Turkey
Location : 40° 37’ N, 43° 06’ E
Cultures: Seljuk, Ottoman, Georgian, Armenian, Russian
Description:

Kars [Arm: Karuč berd or Trucʽ] has a massive garrison fortress and citadel which are primarily Armenian constructions of the 10th and 11th c.  There were periods of reconstruction under the Seljuks (mid 11th c.), the Georgians (13th c.), the Ottomans (16th c.), and the Russians (19th c.).  The mid-10th c. tetraconch Church of the Holy Apostles in the town was built by the Armenian Bagratid King Abas I.  It was converted into a mosque in 1579, became a Russian orthodox church in 1877 (with the addition of an iconostasis and new porticos at the north, west, and south doors), and since 1918 has had conflicting roles as a museum and mosque.

Ref: Kars, pp. 3 ff; Armenia, p. 206.

Plan of the church is in the reference to Thierry cited above.  No plan of the fortress was executed.

Additional photos are in the reference above.

Alternate Site Names and Spellings: Karuc‛ berd, Trucʽ, Łars, Կարս, Կարուց բերդ, Կարսի Բերդ, Ամուրն Կարուց, Ամրոցն Կարուց, Տրուց, Ղարս