Shoghakat Church

The Armenian Apostolic Schoghakat Church (Armenian Սուրբ Շողակաթը եկեղեցի, Surb Schoghakate jekeghezi, short Surb Schoghakat; translated as "holy ray of light "), whose wall has only incomplete, is located a few hundred meters west-northwest of St. Hripsime Church in Echmiadzin ( Armavir province ) in Armenia. It was built on a medieval place of worship during the tenure of the Catholicos Nahabed in 1694. Together with Santa Hripsime, Saint Gayane and the Cathedral of Etchmiadzin it is conducted on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 2000.

History

The church was built in the traditional by Agathangelos According to legend, at the point where around the year 301 37 nuns were executed, who had fled with the sacred Hripsime and her governess and monastery Head, the holy Gajane, before Emperor Diocletian from Rome to Armenia. During her ordeal to which they the Armenian King Trdat III. had condemned, after Hripsime had refused to become his wife and wanted to remain a nun, is a ray of light have appeared, after the church was later named. Soon afterwards converted to Christianity Trdat and raised it as the state religion.

Architecture

Predecessor

In place of today, built in 1694 Schoghakat Church used to be a religious building from the 13th century, while wall elements of the apse probably to the 5th century were going back and part of a Martyrions. In the southwestern corner of a hall church were found during excavations remains. There was a small semi-circular apse, which could have served as a portico on its south side. The bases of the pilasters have for the Armenian architecture of the 4th to 5th century typical features. Furthermore, they found a portal in the west and one in the south, which led into the chapel.

Today's Release

Schoghakat is a single-nave basilica with a dome and has an elongated rectangular plan. The semicircular eastern apse is flanked on both sides by a narrow band. Some parts of the wall at this point are the oldest surviving parts of the church and go under certain circumstances up to the 5th century. Four Pendentife convert the rectangular structure of the central yoke in the octagonal drum and the overlying conical dome. The dome is west of the center of the Church positioned, which is typical of medieval churches in Armenia, and is supported by four pillars, on the northern and southern side wall. Bema is with a frieze depicting pomegranates, framed.

An open, simultaneously generated with the church gallery is built out the main western portal. On the lintel is a long inscription, which settles on the used for the construction orange tuff. There are two small chapels on either side of the main entrance to the elevated western front. On the south side is a smaller entrance to the church. Schoghakat has up to the geometrically decorated outer wall of the main cylinder a strict rectangular facade, without niches and arches and with little ornamental embellishments. At higher altitudes are incorporated into the walls cross-stones. The exterior of the eastern apse has a cruciform design with rosettes and two cross-shaped windows that provide some light into the interior of the church.

The open gallery whose single, lying in the middle, arcuate passage opens out and leads to the main entrance, has a vault. On its north, west and south sides are arched windows. Passage and windows are framed by a frieze with geometric patterns, rosettes and cross stones. Central to the open gallery perched sechssäulige a dome, which has the function of a clock tower. The capitals of these columns and the areas of their arches are decorated with foliage.