The ancient Armenia church Ergen located in Turkey’s alevi province of Dersim (Tunceli) stands looted and in ruins in the absence of custodians, Ermenihaber reports. The source reminds that back in 2012, the Erzurum Department of Culture and Environmental Protection answered the request of Dersim’s Tourism Directorate to renovate and protect the church from vanishing. So far, no steps have been taken.

Ergen Church, built by Armenians 1300 years ago, reflects the delicate details of traditional stone carving in the region. The church, which was almost completely destroyed and desecrated on the walls, was also targeted by treasure hunters.