Balıkesir Taksiyarhis Memorial Museum

Balıkesir Taksiyarhis Memorial Museum

Taksiyarhis Church is the first church of Ayvalık and it is thought that the church had 3 different periods. It was originally built as a small church in the 15th century. The fresco of the presentation of Paul and Peter to the god on the bema and the inscription dated 1753 above the south garden entrance are the data on the second period building with a three-domed, two-storey basilica plan.

It is understood from the inscription dated 1844 above the entrance that the 3rd period basilica was built with barrel vaults and the upper carriers were entirely wooden. The three-nave church is entered from the narthex on the west side, through 3 main entrance doors. In the middle nave of the church, there is an pulpit decorated with plaster relief with the depiction of a lion, and this point with the icons of Saints is reached by a spiral staircase. The cathedral on the diagonal is decorated with vegetal decorated marble relief and gold leaf.

The apse is reached in the back section, when you pass the iconostasis, which is decorated with marble icons, in which the life story of Jesus Christ is told, and is also decorated with marble relief and gold decoration. The upper gallery with 16 windows, round arch, wooden, "U" shape on the second floor of the building is the gynaikeion, which was built as a women's section. This section is reached by stone stairs with a bell tower in the north and wooden stairs in the south. The wall decorations imitating marble inside the building were worked in the form of secco (pencil work on dry plaster) painting by applying lime plaster on wooden plasterboard. It is understood that these eclectic marble imitations were made by an artist named M.Pizdem, according to the signature dated 07.12.93 on the south corner of the building. Due to the fact that Ayvalık is in the earthquake zone, it has been observed that restoration works for repair purposes were carried out in the building, which was damaged in different periods over time. It is observed from the wall decorations and paintings that changes were made in the decorations during these periods. During this renovation work, it is seen that the Pantocrator Jesus Icon, made as a fresco on the dome, and the apostle paintings around the cradle vault were replaced with neo-classical oil paintings. The interior decoration was completed in a neo-classical style and eclectically, with the arrangement of the church in 1893.

The building, which was abandoned after being used as a "Monopoly Warehouse" for a long time since 1927, was restored by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in 2012 and in 2013, "Taksiyarhis Memorial Museum" was put into service as a unit affiliated to the Balıkesir Kuva-yi Milliye Museum Directorate.