NURLU VILLAGE MONASTERY CHURCH NO. 1

X: 41.536153 Y: 37.536843 Z:1070

The monastery is located in the center of Nurlu village in Gercüş district of Batman province. Nurlu village is located 53 km southeast of Batman center and 13 km east of Gercüş district centre. Today, there are only 2 churches belonging to this monastery. There is a great deal of destruction in the monastery. Stone houses reflecting traditional civil architecture were built on the monastery. Most of the stones belonging to the monastery were used as spolia in the construction of the houses in the village.

The church no. 1 consists of 2 naves parallel to the apse. The nave in the west is used as the lower floor of a 2-storey residence. The entrances to the narthex and the nave to the east have been closed. The nave in the east has a rectangular plan. The upper cover of this nave was completely destroyed, and based on the remaining remains, it is thought that this section has a barrel vault (Picture 1). The apse section is accessed through a rectangular entrance on the eastern wall of this nave; but this entrance has been closed today (Picture 2). There are rectangular niches in the north and south of the entrance. The apse part is made in the form of a half circle. The apse part does not protrude outward and has a crenellated window. Today, the crenellated window, which is largely destroyed, is expanded and used as an entrance. There are 8 consoles surrounding the apse. There are plant motifs made in relief on these consoles. There is a pulley surrounding the apse just above these consoles (Picture 3). (Picture 4) Pastophorion cells are located in the north and south of the apse; but the pastaforion cell in the south is now closed.