CHAPTER 5
ARCHTECTURE in
SOUTHERN ARMENIA
TAKEO KAMIYA

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Map of Vayotsdzor
VAYOTSDZOR PROVINCE

Southern Armenia consists of two provinces: Vayotsdzor and Syunik. It adjoins the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic, an exclave of Azerbaijan. Vayotsdzor is the least densely populated province in Armenia, with the population of as few as 53,000 in 2002. The provincial capital is the small tranquil city, Yeghegnadzor, along the highway linking Yerevan and Nagorno Karabagh.

Map of Vayotsdzor Province


INDEX

@

SELIM (SULEMA) ***

CARAVANSERAI, 1332 **

SelimSelim

Selim (Sulema) Caravanserai of the 14th century

SelimSelim

Plan
PLAN of the Caravanserai
(From "Armenian Art" Jean-Michel Thierry, 1987, Harry N. Abrams)


INDEX



AGHNJADZOR *

CARAVANSERAI

AghnjadzorAghnjadzor

The Caravanserai at Aghnjadzor

INDEX



YEGHEGIS (ALAYAZ) **

SURP NSHAN (Surp Astvatsatsin), 18c. *

YeghegisYeghegis

The church of Surp Nshan (Surp Astvatsatsin) in Yeghegis (Alayaz)



ZORATS CHURCH (Surp Stephanos), 1303 **

Zorats

ZoratsZorats

Zorats Church (Surp Stephanos) in yeghegis (Alayaz)

INDEX



ARATES **

ARATES VANK (Surp Sion), 9-13c. **

AratesArates

Arates Vank (Surp Sion) in Arates

Plan
PLAN of the Arates Vank
(From "Architettura Armena" by Paolo Cuneo, 1988, Roma)

Arates


INDEX



SPITAKAVOR ***

SURP ASTVATSATSIN, 13-14c. **

Spitakavor

SpitakavolSpitakavol

The church of Surp Astvatsatsin at Spitakavor

Portal

SpitakavolSpitakavol



INDEX



YEGHEGNADZOR **

LANDSCAPE & ARCHED BRIDGE 13c.*

YeghegnadzorYeghegnadzor

Landscape around Yeghegnadzor and an Arched Bridge

INDEX



TANADI **

TANAHAT (Kara) VANK, 13c. **

TanadiTanadi

TanadiTanadi

There are many lovely reliefs on the wall of Tanahat (Kara) Vank at Tanadi

TanadiTanadi


INDEX



HERHER **

SURP SION, 9,13c. *

HerherHerher

The church of Surp Sion. Looking like twin churches, the interior is a single room with two apses.

INDEX



GNDEVAZ ***

GNDE VANK, 10-18c. **

GndevazGndevaz

The fortify-ied Gnde Vank at Gndevaz in a deep gorge ( PC.207)

Plan
Plan of Gnde Vank
(From "Architettura Armena" Paolo Cuneo, 1988, Deluca Editore)

Gndevaz



INDEX




ARENI *

SURP ASTVATSATSIN, 14c. **

Areni

AreniAreni

On a high land at the village of Areni near the left bank of the Arpa River stands the exquisite church of Areni. An inscription on the west portal saids that the church was built in 1321 for the archbishop of Syunik, Yovhannes Orbelean, by the architect Momik, who was also a sculptor, being one of the most famous architects in medieval Armenia. The church's longitudinal slender figure is the typical style of Armenian churches in the 13th and 14th century.
Its drum is cylindrical inside but the exterior is faceted in 24 sides and eight of them has a window. On the tympanum of its west facade is carved a relief of a 'Virgin and Child' under the influence of Nora Vank at Amaghu in the next section.
Though the church suffered severe damages by the earthquake in 1840, it was entirely repaired between 1967 and 1972.

ƒAƒŒƒj


INDEX




AMAGHU ***

NORA VANK, 13-14c. ***

AmaghuAmaghu

This is a Vank (monastery) located in isolation on a mountain 3km from Amaghu village, on the south of Yeghegnadzor. Since the top bell tower has been reconstructed after long lost state, it gives a surrealistic impression that such renewed beautiful edifice suddenly appears in a canyon surrounded with craggy sheer precipices. Nora Vank meaning 'New Monastery' was established in 1105 by Bishop Yovhannes. It was donated by the Orbelian Family, nobles of Syunik province.
Since a small, ruined church at the southern next to the church of Surp Karapet seems to be St. John the Baptist is the oldest, the monastery erected in the 12th century was called 'Nora Vank'. It became the residence of Syunik bishops in the 13th and 14th century and became the cultural and artistic center of Armenia with Gladzor's university and library.

AmaghuAmaghu

The church of Surp Astvatsatsin (Holy Mother of God) was built in 1339, also called 'Burtelashen' after its patron Burtel Orbelian. On the small flat area facing a canyon stands mainly this and the church of Surp Karapet. The architects were famous Momik and Siranês. The same form as this three tiered conspicuous church can be seen only in Surp Astvatsatsin Church in Yeghvard in Middle Armenia and a smaller church of Kapta Vank in nearby Kaputan.
As its formative composition with a grand but buoyant conical roofed belfry on top is quite gorgeous and its wall carvings are brilliant, this is one of the most famed architectural works. And yet, because Yeghvard Vank is about ten years earlier, Amaghu Nora Vank can be considered as its follower for enlargement and embellishment.

Plan
Plan of Nora Vank
(From "Armenian Art" Jean-Michel Thierry, 1987, Harry N. Abrams)

Another church, Surp Karapet was constructed in 1221 to 27.@As visitors to this Vank are tend to be captivated by the church of Surp Astvatsatsin in the first place, the church of Surp Karapet deep in the precincts would be set aside. However, this church is older and is the main facility in Nora Vank.
Its west facade faces a deep precipice, over which commanding a fine view, has a few tug to look at the facade, which has two tympanums above and below, not easily to be noticed. Relief sculptures on the tympanums represent Armenian medieval art, especially the upper one rarely depicting Genesis is fine, its expressionist-like expression of God and others became well known even abroad.

AmaghuAmaghu

AmaghuAmaghu

Gavit was built in 1261 by Smbat Orbelian and was rebuilt larger in 1321. While the current one is a vast astylar hall, the initial one is supposed to have had four pillars inside. There are many khachkars in the Gavit, some are put independently on the floor and the others are set in the walls. The khachkar placed on the right wall of the doorway of the Surp Karapet Church is particularly large and excellent.
The small church on the northern next to Surp Karapet is Surp Grigor dedicated in 1275. It might have functioned as the burial place for the Olbelian family. There were once various monastic facilities in the precincts, leaving only their foundations though. ( PC.201, AA.478, OK.437, MH.212, DOC.14 )
The monastery continued till 1840 when severely damaged in the earthquake. The full-scale repair was made in the latter half of the 20th century. Outside the ramparts is a small funeral chapel from the 20th century.


INDEX




MARTIROS *
CAVE CHURCH, 13c. *
Plan
@@@Plan of Martiros cave church
(From "Architettura Armena" Paolo Cuneo, 1988, Deluca Editore, 209)

MartirosMartiros




INDEX




Map of Syunik
SYUNIK PROVINCE

Syunik is also a province of low population density. In spite of being the largest province in terms of land area, its population is only 150,000. It is located in southernmost Armenia, adjoining Iran, so Armenians residing in Iran travel to Armenia from Tabriz in Iran through Meghri at the extreme south of this province. There are many Iranian style brick church buildings here. The provincial capital is Kapan.

Map


INDEX



KARAHUNJ **

ANCIENT OBSERVATORY, c 5c. B.C. *

KarahunjKarahunj

Ancient Observatory? Religious Center?

Karahunj


INDEX


SISIAN **

SURP HOVHANNES, 670-689 **

SisianSisian

SisianSisian

The church of Surp Hovhannes (Siuni Vank) in Sisian

Plan
Plan of Surp Hovhannes
(From "The Armenians" Adriano Alpago Novello, 1986, Rizzoli)
SisianSisian


INDEX




AGHITU (AGHUDI) *

FUNERARY MONUMENT, 7c. *

AghituAghitu

In the center of Aghitu village, 7km east of Sisian, is a peculiar structure from about the 7th century. It is presumed to have been a funerary monument of unknown person due to the lack of any epitaph. Its height is about 11meters, with two arched openings in its facade on the ground floor. The vaulted room at the rear of the larger one might be the tomb chamber, but any tombstone has not found, suggesting a possibility of other function of the monument. At the rear of the smaller arch is a kind of gallery with an arcaded opening to the left. On that side was likely a small chapel, about which we know nothing.
Over the building containing the tomb chamber as a podium, a gate-type two-storied structure stands with two arcades, the lower one of which is two arched and the higher three arched. Around these arches and their capitals are splendidly decorated mainly with scrolls of foliage, and their capitals in closely related to the Ionic order are particularly interesting, suggesting that the dead person was a man of noble birth.
At the rear of this building is a flight of eight stone steps leading to the flat roof, where some ceremony could be performed periodically. This is an extremely rare kind of monuments, similar structure of which is found only in Odzun, where is a large, inscribed stone monument in the precincts of the Kathoghike.
The Aghitu's monument collapsed in the earthquake in 1931 and restored to the original state in 1970. Around it are Khachkars and other stones scattered on the premises.


INDEX




VOROTAN **

VOROTNA VANK, 9-10c. **

VorotanVorotan

Vorotna Vank at Vorotan, the main church is Surp Stephanos in 990.

Plan
Plan of the Vorotna Vank
(From "Architettura Armena" Paolo Cuneo, Deluca Editore)

VorotanVorotan


INDEX




TANAHAT *

SURP STEPHANOS, 491

Tanahat

The ruins of the church of Surp Stephanos at Tanahat

TanahatTanahat


INDEX




GORIS **

OLD VILLAGE

GorisGoris

Old Village of Goris

INDEX




KHNDZORESK **

CAVE VILLAGE *

Khndzoresk

Cave village pf Khndzoresk and a church

KhndzoreskKhndzoresk


INDEX




BGHENO *

NORA VANK, 10-11c. **

Bgheno

Although small, the Nora Vank (New Monastery) at Bgheno is a fine piece of architecture, located 12km northeast of Tatev. It is scrupulously made of grey basalt. It has three-span arched porch, the central one of which is open as the entrance and the others are blind as well as side walls, impressing itself as a massive building, though its facade is quite ornamental with arches and capitals with delicate carvings, reminding us of simultaneous Romanesque churches and their sculptures in Russillon, France. Especially a relief sculptured panel on the wall of the central nave is idyllically attractive.

planBgheno
Plan of Bgheno Nora Vank_QQQQQQQ_
iFrom "Architettura Armena" Paolo Cuneo, 1988, Deluca Editore)

Originally a church and a leper hospital were erected here in 936. After they had disappeared, it was reconstructed into a three-aisled stone church by Bishop Yovhannes of Siunia and completed in 1062. The porch is supposed to be a later addition.

BghenoBgheno


INDEX




TATEV ***

TATEV VANK, 10-11, 13c. ***

TatevTatevTatev

TatevTatev

The great fortified Vank of Tatev

Plan
Plan of the Tatev Vank
(From "Architettura Armena" Paolo Cuneo, 1988, Deluca Editore)
TatevTatev

TatevTatev

TatevTatevTatev



INDEX




KAPAN **

VAHANA VANK, 10c. **

KapanKapan

Vahana Vank in the mountains 8km west of Kapan. Repair was almost finishing.

KapanKapan


INDEX



MEGHRI **

SURP ASTVATSATSIN, 17c. **

MeghriMeghri

The Iranian border is in the town of Agarak 8km from Meghri, people can go to Iran across the bridge on the Arax River. The churches of Meghri are made of brick like Iranian mosques and usually full of murals.

MeghriMeghri"



SURP HOVHANNES, 17c. *

MeghriMeghri

Surp Hovhannes is St. John. The inside is painted everywhere.

Meghri


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Relief at Bjni

© TAKEO KAMIYA
E-mail to: kamiya@t.email.ne.jp