Tsakhats Kar Monastery

Tsaghats Kar (Armenian Ցախաց քար ), other transcriptions Tsakhats Kar, Tsakhatskar, C'ałac'k'ar ( Tsakhats Kar Vank, Ցախաց քար Վանք ), is a former monastery of the Armenian Apostolic Church in the Province südarmenischen Wajoz Dzor. The well-preserved Baptist Church ( Surb Karapet ) from the 11th century, the Holy Cross Church grave ( Surb Nshan ) from the 10th century a few meters to the east and a dilapidated building group 200 meters west of the two churches refer to the to the 15th century continued special importance of situated at an altitude of 2052 meters on a mountainside monastery.

Location

39.89545.3569Koordinaten: 39 ° 53 '42 " N, 45 ° 21' 25" E

Tsaghats Kar is located north of the provincial capital Jeghegnadsor and can be reached via the mountain road M10, which branches off to the north to Lake Sevan between Areni and Jeghegnadsor from the M2 and crossing the Selim Pass. After ten kilometers Once in town Schatin a side road northeast to six kilometers away place Jeghegis in the valley of the river of the same name from. From Schatin can be reached in the mountains on a path the abbey ruins Shativank. Two kilometers to Schatin the road forks in front of the remnants of a hill crest, has remained on the get the ruins of the medieval fortress Smbataberd. The road in a valley on the north side of the hill runs after one kilometer through the elongate place Artabuynk and then follows a narrow valley a tributary of the Jeghegis to the hamlet Horbategh. About a kilometer behind the last houses of Artabuynk starts right of the road, a country lane at a ford and a footbridge over the stream, following to reach the east rising steadily after five kilometers Tsaghats Kar or halfway a south turn Smbataberd is.

The abbey ruins are on a hillside overlooking a wide valley and the north and east dominated by more than 3000 meters high mountain ranges. Smbataberd and the footpath there are to be seen here in the distance. From the overgrown with grass and scattered bushes highlands extend individual rocks and gravel plains out of basalt rock, which was also used for the construction of the eastern building. There is spring water nearby.

History

According to the historian Bishop Stepanos in the 13th century, a member of the ruling family Orbelian, the monastery was founded in the 5th century. Here is a grave church for the Armenian insurgents have been built, who had died in the battle of Avarayr against the Sassanid Empire in 451. This battle represented the culmination of several disputes over the religious freedom of Armenian Christians who, in spite of defeat finally granted them. Four battles took place in Vayots Dzor region, one in the area.

The next historical information relates to the reconstruction of the monastery by another bishop named Stepanos ( Stepanos Taronetsi, also called " Asoghik " because he presented with his beautiful voice songs) during the reign of King Bagratides Abbas I (r. 930-950 ). The obtained today buildings and ruins date back to the late 10th century or the 11th century, when the existing plant was also expanded to include a refectory, a Gawit and outbuildings. In the 15th century Tsaghats Kar had a manuscript department, in which hundreds manuscripts were copied.

Monastery

The two restored church buildings are located a few meters from each other and can be seen from the valley, while the group of western building is hidden behind a knoll.

Surb Karapet

The western of the two surviving churches is St. John the Baptist Church, Surb Karapet, one dated 1041, rectangular jacketed cross-domed church whose central dome is supported by the four inner corners of the wall cross-shaped floor plan. Surb Nshan belongs to the cruciform Monokonchen, where the apse of the east side are formed with a semicircular back wall ( conch ) and the other side arms with rectangular walls. Precursor from the 7th century is the small Monokonchen of Lmbatavank and Karmravor Church of Ashtarak. Other small central buildings from this period have three conchae (small Surb Astvatsatsin Church of talin ) or in the symmetric Ideally four conches. This form of existence of the early Christian churches were resumed after a period of low construction activity from the 9th century.

During the cross-shaped floor plan on the outer walls remain visible in the aforementioned early examples that have covered churches in the four outer corners enclosed additional rooms. Outside resembles the Surb Nshan Church 1321 dated church of Areni. The eastern side rooms with semicircular apses are not increased by the by Bema ( platform) altar apse, but accessible via the side arms in the north and south. The four stressed by half-columns inside wall corners are connected by transverse arches between them. The transition to the circular base form of the main cylinder, which consists of a projecting cornice with a wide circumferential braid done on pendentives. The most prominent decorative motif in the interior form a series of protruding plastic Jars in arched niches on the wall of the Bema.

The outside also circular drum has only on the west and east sides narrow window openings and is surmounted by a conical roof. The only entrance is located in the south wall. He is flanked by two triangular niches and is wearing a crash stone with an inscription and a field with foliage, grapes and pomegranates. The gable windows on the west facade is accented by a double beaded edge. The field between the inner and outer frame is filled with a small-scale geometric motif of circles and swastikas. Even more expensive the central window of the east wall is framed. There, rich two triangular niches to the height of the eaves. Such deep niches come to common view in Armenian architecture since the 7th century as a vertical layout on outside walls before (including Aruchavank, Cathedral of Ani, monastery church of Ptghni ). On the left gable above the door is an eagle with a lamb in its talons the coat of arms Proschian family represents a nearly filling the entire northern gable relief of a lion fighting with a bull, probably was the emblem of the Orbelian family to the the founder belonged.

Surb Nshan

The Holy Cross Church, Surb Nshan ( " Holy Mark " ), a few meters east served as Mausoleumskirche. Your original building, which dates to the year 939 according to some sources, was restored at the same time as the Surb Karapet or rebuilt. The narrow building consists of a church hall with a barrel vault, which is covered on the outside by a gable roof. From the west leads into a low input. The semicircular altar apse is increased by an unadorned on its front Bema. In front of the church hall is a two-storey space, prior to its west wall two huge Chatschkare are set equal to the upper floor. These form a unified façade design along with a stereo window in the middle. The circular portal under it was lowered by a fall stone belonging to the substructure for the Chatschkare.

Both churches are located after its recent restoration 2010 in a good state of preservation.

West Group

The center of the monastery was removed to the west and was once surrounded by a defensive wall, from the preserved some remains on the east side and one goal. An inscription at the East Gate is dedicated E'achi Proschian because he had donated to the monastery this country and planted himself. He was a grandson of Prince Khaghbakian Prosch, who built the north of Verna 's in the 11th century, the fortress Boloraberd ( Prosch Aberd ) when Spitakawor monastery.

Except monk cells in a row on the west side and outbuildings were among the sprawling complex of buildings in the middle of a Mother of God Church ( Surb Astvatsatsin ) with a dome, were obtained from the half-height walls and transverse arches. To the south a unused for meetings portico was grown, which was completed in the east of a small room with a semicircular eastern apse. Adjacent to the south followed the great nave St. John's Church ( Surb Hovhannes ) with a barrel vault. It bears an inscription of 999 Again, just south was a narrow single-nave chapel. Off the west side of the Mother of God Church was a large Gawit. A stone trough west of the portico was used for ritual purposes. Many Chatschkare are placed in the area.