Aruch

Arutsch (Armenian Արուճ ), other transcriptions Arudsch, Aruch or Aruj until 1970 Azeri Talysh, Thalisch, Talish or Talis, is a village and a rural municipality ( hamaynkner ) in the northern Armenian province Aragazotn with 1223 inhabitants in 2012. On the outskirts remained a receive the greatest early Christian churches of Armenia. The Cathedral Aruchavank from the 7th century was dedicated to St. George ( Surb Grigor ). It is considered the most important example of an Armenian domed hall. This building type summarizes longitudinal nave church with a central dome. In addition, the palace ruins of Grigor Mamikonian were exposed, who ruled from here over an Armenian principality and is called as a builder of the cathedral. In the Middle Ages Arutsch was due to a long-distance trade route, which included a caravansary whose ruins on the northern branch of the current highway (M1) to see the place.

Location

40.292544.079166666667Koordinaten: 40 ° 17 ' 33 "N, 44 ° 4' 45" E

Arutsch situated on 1226 meters in a vast plain to the south of Mount Aragats. From the highway between Yerevan and Gyumri branches around 40 kilometers north- west of the state capital, Yerevan, and 4.5 kilometers past Kosh a road left to the west, on the 1.5 kilometers of the town center is reached. Slightly shorter is the northern driveway for the coming of Gyumri and 23 kilometers from town Talin traffic. In the north of the highway begin the first hill, belonging to the foothills of Mount Aragats. Armavir and other places in the south in to the river Aras on sloping plains are not directly accessible from Arutsch.

The end of a 4.5 -kilometer road to the south is reached in the hamlet Nor Armanos. At the entrance there is a medieval Muslim cemetery of the Talysh, one of the same Iranian language -speaking minority, which has been known since pre-Christian times in the South Caucasus. The nomadic people live primarily in a mountain area in the southwest of the Caspian Sea, which belongs to Iran and Azerbaijan.

History

Archaeological finds in the area indicate a settlement since the Bronze Age. The first written source dates from the 5th century, as the historian Yeghishe Vardapet ( 410-475 ) mentioned the old and the present name of the village as a winter camp for the army of the Arsacid kings. Importance was Arutsch in the 7th century by Prince Grigor Mamikonian, who reigned 662-685 under Arab sovereignty and Arutsch made ​​it his headquarters.

Grigor was a member of determining from the 4th to the 8th century through much of the historical Armenia Mamikonian dynasty. The Armenian historian Moses of choirs in the 5th and the 7th century Sebeos claimed a lineage of Mamikonian by noblemen of the "Land of Chenk " who had come in the middle of the 3rd century Armenia. With " Chenk " are meant by the common opinion Han Chinese and also a Turkic people from the East. The Mamikonian understood as the Kamsasrakan and other Armenian aristocratic families, the title Nakharar wore when the Arsacid belonging. The power struggle between the Byzantines and the Sassanids 428 ended with the division of the Armenian territory under the two great powers and the resolution of Arsakidenreiches. On the part of the Byzantines succeeded the Mamikonian then ascend to a local power. In the 7th century they received from the Byzantine emperors repeated the title " Prince of Armenia" ( governor ) awarded and at least on one occasion the mid-7th century, the honorary title Kuropalates.

In this shaped by influence and prosperity time the Mamikonian were in the second half of the century were built the palace and the cathedral as Prince Grigor Mamikonian and his wife Helen, vassals of the Arabs. After the Arabs had conquered in the 630 model years, the Sassanid Empire, they penetrated further north before, conquered 640 Dvin and were part of the Armenians under their rule. The large number of built in the 7th century churches shows that the Arabs must have been tolerant of the Armenian church leaders initially. 701, the Umayyad Armenia had officially annexed.

According to most art historians Cathedral 660-670 was completed. Josef Strzygowski dated the founding inscription preserved in the year 668 It reads: " In 29 years of Constantine, on the 15th day of the month Mareri, was the holy cathedral [ ... ] by Gregor Mamikonian, Prince of Armenia, and Helene, his wife - as intercession for their builders - founded "With Constantine the reigning from 641 to 668 Byzantine Emperor Constans II is meant, whose reign but not 29, but only lasted 27 years. . Strzygowski wrote to the error of Armenian historians of the 7th century, because in an " anonymous chronicle " falsely government 29 years are noted. Nikolai Yakovlevich Marr (1904 ), Joseph Orbeli (1913) and Georgi Tschubinaschwili (1967 ) stopped because of the style of language and because of this error, the inscription not original, but for a much later, incorrectly written off copy probably dates from the 11th century. For Ulrich Bock (1983 ), it is also unlikely that Grigor in his capacity as governor under Arab Herrschschaft in such an important inscription on the enemy in Byzantium would have to refer, so he moved the church in the 10th century.

The dispute revolves around the age of the existing building today and therefore this type of construction. The dating has implications because Arutsch for temporal classification of other churches is used as a benchmark. That mid-7th century, a church was built, is independently produced by the inscription from the mentions several contemporary historians. So Ghewond wrote in the 8th century: " ... and he [ Grigor ] has built the house of prayer in the Aragatsotn region in the village Arudsch, a Hall of Fame of the name of the Lord with holder splendor by decorating it in memory of his name. " Catholicos John reported: " At that time [ 662-668 ] the magnificent church, the pious prince Gregor Mamikonian founded in large village Arutsch by the divine visit [ of mind ]. [ ... ] And on the southern side he built his palace on the edge of the rocky gorge in which a shimmering spring rises. And then he assigns his house and walled it with [ a wall of ] large stones and mortar. " Historian Vardan were also indicate Grigor Mamikonian was the Church of Arutsch during the tenure of the Catholicos Anastas († 668 ), and also at this time the church can be built in Jeghward.

The end of Mamikonian - Herrschschaft was accelerated by clashes with the rival Bagratides, whose capital was little removed in Ani. Completely weakened the Mamikonian were after unsuccessful uprisings against the Abbasid Caliphate 772 to 775 with the defeat at the Battle of Bagrewand 775 went virtually all land owned by the Mamikonian lost.

Apart from the founding inscription three other inscriptions have survived. The second inscription from the year 987 on the south wall is from a control and comes from King Smbat II (r. 976/977 - 989/990 ). At least at this time was after about a consensus that the present church completed there. Also a tax issue in the third inscription of 1285, which is located in Tympanonfeld above the south portal.

The caravanserai was built in the 13th century or later. Arutsch was then an important trading post on the Silk Road ramified in Armenia between Tabriz, Dvin and Kars. The road also joined Dvin with Ani. The church dome was probably destroyed by an earthquake. Damage to the masonry of tufa could also have arisen as a fortified refuge in the 16th and 17th centuries by the use of the Church

Townscape

In the census of 2001, the official population was given as 1016. According to official statistics, in January 2012 lived 1223 inhabitants in Arutsch.

The cathedral is located on the northeastern edge of the cluster of buildings, which is criss-crossed by a network of winding asphalt roads. The mostly single-storey houses are spread within large gardens. Trees and shrubs thrive only to the houses outside the village stretches of open grassland with scattered fields. There is a grocery store. Close to the secondary school in the town center are remains of walls of large tufa blocks erect a fortified complex dating from the 6th to the 13th centuries. In the old cemetery some early Christian grave stones lying on the ground. At various points of the village Chatschkare are set up, the oldest dating from the 9th/10th. Century. In the empty space between Arutsch and the good one kilometers southeast hamlet Shamiram more medieval grave stones and a Bronze Age burial ground were found.

Cathedral

Origin

Before the characteristic of the Armenian architecture central dome churches were built, there was obviously a phase at the beginning of Christianity, as Längsbauten aisled hall churches or three-aisled basilicas were built in the form. The earliest surviving, time unclassifiable Armenian churches are Basilicas dating from the 5th and 6th centuries. From the 5th century and the oldest central buildings are known. From its square structure over which a dome with an intermediate cylindrical drum rises, the basic form of the later central domed churches was. After the substructure of the Tambour three Zentralbautypen be distinguished: The circular drum rests on the four inside corners of a cross-shaped building ( Lmbatavank, Kamrawor Church in Ashtarak ), on the wall In the middle of a square building structure ( Mastara ) or four free-standing central pillars. The starting point of the domed central supports is 485 dated construction of the Cathedral of Etchmiadzin.

The combination of three-aisled basilica and central dome, the dome basilica or longitudinal cross-domed church follows along the lines of Tekor ( early dating late 5th century). It was realized in some cases by rebuilding an older basilica, the two pillars were converted into each row of columns to support a crossing. The Cathedral of Odsun is a large domed basilica, which is dated to the generally accepted estimate in the second half of the 6th century and was built from the beginning in this form. Extensions by protruding from the side walls conches led to classics of Armenian church architecture ( cathedrals of Dvin and talin, 7th Century ).

The domed hall of Arutsch ( Aruchavank ) has emerged from the combination of single-aisled hall church and central building. Here not a relatively small dome is supported by four central pillars, but a dome whose diameter makes up almost the entire width of the nave, is based on wall projections on the side walls. The protruding of the outer walls in the room supporting pillars are connected to each other by the wall arches. The niches on the longitudinal walls so formed are considered short side arms of a cross-domed church.

On the alleged beginning of this development the very early church of Zovuni stood in the province on the east bank of the Aragazotn Aparan Reservoir. Between 490 and 510, the well collapsed barrel roof of the nave church must have been replaced by a central dome with squinches over massively reinforced wall piers. In addition to the more Arutsch destroyed church of Ptghni from the 7th century is one of the most important representatives of this type. As the only domed hall which dated to the late 7th century Thaddäuskirche in Ddmaschen remained almost completely intact on the northwestern shore of Lake Sevan. She looks harmonious and gives a better spatial impression of this concept as the Cathedral of Arutsch. Josef Strzygowski, the conceptual introduced the type of domed halls in his standard work on Armenian architecture in 1918, reckoned added the Schoghakat Church of Echmiadzin. Instead of the construction adopted by him in the 7th century the held on an inscription dated 1694 is held as a construction date for now plausible, however. In the Renaissance, referred to as the Armenian architectural period from the 9th to the 14th century, dated to 1029 the main church of the monastery Marmashen originated as an archaic domed hall.

Design

The Cathedral of Arutsch is mentioned in the inscription of 668 " the holy Catholicon ". The long rectangular room, the interior measures 34.5 × 17 meters, is accessible from three sides and is enclosed on the east by a horseshoe-shaped apse with 3.8 meters depth. On both sides flanking square adjoining rooms with semicircular apses the altar apse. Access is from the nave, in each outer wall, they have a window opening.

The 2.8 meter inwardly projecting pilasters divide the entire space along three approximately equal parts, with the altar apse and the built-in side rooms shorten the nave to the east. The pilasters are connected by blind arcades on the side walls and traversing the space spanning transverse arches. The transition from this central square to the base circle of the main cylinder is carried out in the corners by pendentives. The building was up to the root circle of the main cylinder, whose upper edge is 16.4 meters above the present ground level, restored. The drum, the dome and the final pyramid roof missing. The barrel vault in the eastern part goes into the final spherical ceiling of the apse, both the western nave is surmounted by a barrel-vaulted roof. The altar room is opposite the nave increased by Bema ( platform), as well as the small apses in the adjoining rooms.

In contrast to the eastern façade Schoghakat Church is externally divided by two deep triangular niches, as it is typical for many Armenian and Georgian churches since early Christian times. They allow in this case that the chancel is lit by three windows. Through an unusual number of windows in the longitudinal walls of the nave is generally well exposed. The three portals had Stems, the wall of which approaches are still recognizable. On the long sides, these additions were closed at the sides. The porch in the West, however, was supported by four pillars of a square canopy.

The essential element of the external architectural sculpture are horseshoe- shaped ornament friezes over the arched windows. The east facade is highlighted by three more arches ornament above the triangular niches. They are larger -scale equivalents of the window decoration. The patterns consist of overlapping circles and diamonds, on the east wall of geometric stylized vines and grapes. The four outer wall corners are formed into rods. Fine Korbflechtwerk covers the cornice on all sides.

In the upper part of the apse back wall, nor murals from the period are faintly discernible above the windows on remnants of plaster. Depicting the scene of the laws handover was ( Latin traditio legis ) with a seven -meter high standing Christ holding a scroll in his left hand while he is flanked below by the apostles Peter and Paul. Of the other apostles are partially visible six on the north side. The figure of Christ preserved in small groups stood on a misted with gems throne similar to that in Lmbatavank. In the Apsiskalotte was above a frieze with Akanthusblattwerk the scene of the Ascension of Christ in front of a dark blue background.

1946 and 1958-1959, the cracked exterior walls and the ruined roof of the church were restored. Archaeologists digging in 1947, then from 1950 to 1952 and 2006-2007, the ruins of the palace from.

Palace and other buildings

Immediately south of the church was located the palace of Grigor Mamikonian. It consisted of a large entrance hall with two rows of three columns, another hall adjacent to the west and a gallery. In the basic plan, it resembles the palace of the Catholicos in Dvin. According to historians Grigor instructed his architects to recreate the local palace. The lobby, of the several layers of the outer walls have been restored, had a throne room in the east. In this area two capitals found here are prepared with powerful side drums. They carry reliefs with a rosette of rolled palm leaves and geometric ornaments on the Abaki. One of the capitals, the copy of a held in Dvin capitals represents the column shafts were according to Jean -Michel Thierry (1988 ) of wood, according to the information obtained by the excavations of 2006/ 07 they were made ​​of stone. The ceiling was layered wooden beams, probably in the form of a Kraggewölbes (Armenian hazaraschen ) as to the 20th century the roofs of traditional Armenian houses with a flue opening ( jerdik ) were constructed in the middle. The throne is the only known of its kind in Armenia. Get remained a 1.3 x 1.6 meter large base of tuff.

To the east of the palace, the standing on a pedestal getreppten zone outer walls of a three-aisled basilica hall were rebuilt up to two meters in height. Two powerful cross-shaped pillars in each row affiliated to 18.7 × 10.7 -meter space into a wide central nave and narrow aisles. It seems after the architectural decoration judging older than the palace to be, and is dated to the 5th or 6th century. The building had rectangular entrances on the north, west and east sides.

Close to the northeast corner of this hall was a small single-nave chapel with a on the east wall projecting circular apse. Two layers of masonry were restored. Zwischer the Chapel and the Cathedral extends a vast burial ground.

Caravanserai

On the northern mouth of the local access road to the highway which greatly restored remains of an aisled medieval caravanserai of 26.5 × can be seen 15 meters. It belongs to the type of fortified Gebirgskarawansereien. The building is north- south aligned with the entrance on the south side. A 6 meter wide central barrel vault is separated from the 3.6 -meter-wide lateral vaults through semicircular pillared arcades. In the central hall camped the cattle and the goods transported, while the travelers came to under two pages. The exterior walls were windowless and reinforced by round towers to provide protection against attacking predators. The exposure was carried out by an opening in the ceiling.

Until the 1980s there was only the northern part of the eastern side of the ship. The additions were made since then have been largely carried out with new stone slabs.

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