My husband is a history buff. One of his favorite pastimes since living in Turkey has been to discover all the many ancient church ruins in Bursa. Sometimes me and the kids humor him and go along for a nice drive and a picnic along the way. One such adventure took us to the lovely seaside community of Kurşunlu in Gemlik county. 

Our destination this particular trip was Hagioi Taksiarkhes Church in Kurşunlu village. The church was built during the time of the Greek scholar and politician, Anthimos Gazis. The inscription found on site at the church states that the building is dedicated to the archangels and was erected in August of 1803. 

On our day out, it took us a while to find the church. We arrived in the village and after a quick drive through, decided to park and ask for information. Low and behold, we turned around and realized the structure was behind us, camouflaged in the scene of homes, cars, and farming equipment. The church is currently used by private individuals as a storage facility. We chatted briefly with some local residents before respectfully entering the structure for a look around and few pictures. From the broken down doors and disarray, it was obvious that the building was mostly used by stray dogs for shelter, but it did offer small glimpses back in time to early days of local life.

Nothing particularly noticeable remains from its historical use, but I can say we walked away with an unforgettable impression of the place. As we stepped out into the sunshine, I am regretful to say we were not alone, as our entire family had become host to an army of fleas. There we stood in the middle of the street brushing, picking, and dancing off fleas for at least 30 minutes. We peeled our children out of their outer clothes, got in our car hoping and praying that we had removed most of the infestation, and we drove straight to the nearest pharmacy for their strongest flea and lice shampoo. I am happy to say, a few days and a few pest treatments later, we defeated the fleas. 

While the experience was less-than pleasant due to fleas, it’s always enjoyable to see new aspects of Turkey and the layers of history found here. To other tourists eager to visit these types of abandoned ruins, don’t be deterred! Sometimes, you just have to flex with the unexpected.