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The Church of the Virgin Mary, believed to date back to the fourth or fifth century, has undergone restoration on Mount Mereto in southeastern Türkiye's Batman province, as local authorities step up efforts to turn the mountainous region into a year-round tourism destination.
Standing at an altitude of nearly 3,000 meters (9,840 feet) in Sason district, the centuries-old church is considered a significant religious site for Armenian Christians.
Provincial Culture and Tourism Director Mehmet Ihsan Aslanli told Anadolu Agency (AA) that restoration work, which got underway in 2024, has now been completed.
Although the church has yet to officially reopen with a ceremony, groups of visitors from Armenia have already begun arriving at the historic site.
The restoration forms part of a broader tourism initiative centered on Mount Mereto, which rises to 2,978 meters above sea level.
Sason District Governor Furkan Basar said authorities were also building a mosque next to the church while expanding infrastructure to make the mountain more accessible to visitors.
About 19 kilometers (12 miles) of the road to the summit have been paved, and camping areas, hiking trails and cafes have been built for visitors.
A ski resort is also under construction, with officials aiming to draw visitors throughout the year rather than limiting tourism to warmer months.
Basar linked the region's expanding tourism infrastructure to improved security conditions under Türkiye's ongoing "terror-free Türkiye" initiative, which seeks to bring an end to decades of conflict involving the PKK terrorist group.
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As infrastructure projects move forward and the restored church begins drawing international visitors, local authorities are seeking to build up tourism around the mountain's religious and natural attractions.
"We are gradually beginning to reap the benefits of tourism even at the highest peak in the southeast," Basar said.
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