Bagavan

Bhagavan (Armenian Բագավան ) was an ancient Armenian monastery town that was located in modern day Turkey near the village in the province of Ağrı Taşteker. It was known as St. Hovhannes Mkrtich (St. John the Baptist ) Monastery of Bhagavan. ( Բագավանի Սուրբ Հովհաննես Մկրտչի վանք )

The monastery was up to the genocide of the Armenians in 1915, a religious site. In 1948 the monastery was destroyed and the components for the construction of a mosque in Ağrı used. The name of Bhagavan consists of the words Bagi ( idol ) and avan (city).

History

Bhagavan was located in the southeast of the province Bagravend in the region Ayrarat of the Kingdom of Armenia. Founded in pagan Armenia as a religious center, it was the grave lay the pre-Christian ruler of Armenia. Here, on the waters of Aratsani (Eastern Euphrates ), found 314 baptism of King Trdat III. by Gregory the Illuminator ( Գրիգոր Լուսավորիչ ) instead. Trdat III. thus became the first Christian king of Armenia. The Armenian Apostolic Church as separate independent Christian denomination formed out later.

After this event, the place was marked by numerous crosses which were engraved in the stones on the river side. In the nearby slopes of the mountain NPAT dozens of chapels, places of worship of the famous Catholicos Nerses were the Great ( second half of the 4th century ). From here he is supposed to have observed the Dziraver battle between the Armenians and the Persians. The monastery has three churches, and their most famous bishops were Eznik of piston and Moses of choirs. Under their leadership, it became the main monastery in the districts Bagrevand and Arsharunik. The last phase of development ended 639

During the Russian - Persian wars of 1877-1878 it was damaged, but after subsequent restoration, it was still used until 1915. In the late 1940s the monastery was also known as " Turkish Üç Kilise " "Three churches ".

Architecture

The church was 46 meters long, 27 meters wide and 20 meters high. The external appearance of the church consisted of masonry and ornaments. In the 19th century the monastery with the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople Opel was compared. It had five doors and 51 windows.

Current situation

The monastery was destroyed in the late 1940s. Some of the stones used for the construction of houses in the village Taşteker, which was located at the monastery around. Most components of the monastery, however, were brought to Ağrı, where they were used for the lower floor of the local main mosque, which was built in 1950.