Edessa stood out in Byzantine times and even though it almost got destroyed, two Byzantine monuments are preserved till nowadays: the church of the Assumption (Old Cathedral) and the Church of Peter and Paul.
The Old Cathedral is located in Varosi and it was constructed in the second half of the 14th century, just before the occupation of Edessa by the Turks. It is a three-aisle basilica, dedicated to Christ, Wisdom and the Word of God. The oldest frescoes of the interior date back to 1380 while the remarkable, carved iconostasis was a mid-18th century addition.
Originally the church was dedicated to Jesus Christ and was called Ayia Sophia. In the 17th century, it was renamed to Church of the Assumption so that it would not be converted into a mosque. Notables of Edessos lied to the Turks concerning the name of the church because the Sultan had issued an order based on which any church called Ayia Sophia was to be converted into a mosque.
In the Cathedral you will see the remarkable iconostasis and the bishop’s throne (18th century) and the frescoes which are presented in two layers with the oldest dating back to the 14th century and the newest in the 17th century.
