Church asked to become museum

The residents of Mursallı neighborhood in the Germencik district of the western province of Aydın want the two-century-old Taxiarkhea (Archangel) Church to be restored and transformed into a Museum of Exchange.

Mursallı, which is known to be one of the important trade centers of the province before the population exchange, still maintains its importance both commercially and as a population exchange settlement.

After the population exchange agreement signed in Lausanne on Jan. 30, 1923, the neighborhood gained importance with the refugees from the villages of Grevena city of Greece. The village attracts attention with its historical texture.

People living there, on the other hand, want the two-century-old historical church, which has become the symbol of Mursallı and is about to disappear over time, to be restored and converted into the Museum of Exchange. They think that the church can make a significant contribution to Aydın tourism.

Retired teacher Fikret Özer, born and raised in Mursallı, stated that the people living in their neighborhood came from the Grevena district of Thessaloniki in Greece in 1924 and said, "Now Grevena is a province. People from 13 different villages of Grevena settled here. The name of the church here is Taxiarkhea. This church was built in 1857. I learned this information from the refugees who migrated from here. This church was first used as a school by the immigrants who came here, then it was converted into a mosque, then it became a movie theater. Later, it served as a wedding hall and a fig store. Finally, it was transferred to the Treasury and is under protection."

Özer said that the church is in a state of demolition, adding, "The church is about to collapse and is in a dilapidated condition....