The Armenian Apostolic Church is one of the oldest Christian churches. The first Christians appeared in Armenia back in the first century, when two of Christ’s disciples, Thadeus and Bartholomew, came to Armenia and began preaching Christianity. And in 301, Armenia adopted Christianity as the state religion, becoming the world's first Christian state.
The main role in this was played by Saint Gregory the Illuminator, who became the first head of the Armenian Church (302-326), and the king of Great Armenia Trdat, who before that was the most severe persecutor of Christians, but suffered a serious illness and miraculous healing through prayers, having previously spent 13 years in Gregory’s prison , completely changed his attitude.
Despite constant wars and persecution from the Persians, Arabs, the Mongol-Tatar yoke and finally the Ottoman-Turkish invasion, the Armenians never changed their faith, remaining devoted to their religion.
Over the 1700 years of Christianity, many temples were built in Armenia. Some of them were destroyed as a result of persecution, some were damaged by earthquakes, but most of the unique and ancient temples have survived to this day.
1. Tatev Monastery. We think many will agree with us that this is not only the most beautiful monastery, but also a temple complex that is leading in its energy and aura. You can talk about Tatev for a very long time, but it’s better to come once and feel its magical power.
2. Haghpat Monastery. Just like Tatev, you want to come to Haghpat again and again. And as one of the famous Armenian songwriters said, it is impossible to truly love Armenia if you have not seen the sunrise over the Haghpat Monastery.
3. Noravank monastery complex. Surrounded by red rocks, Noravank is incredibly beautiful in any weather.
4. Geghard Monastery. A unique architectural structure, part of which is carved into the rock. It is one of the most popular places among tourists.
5. Haghartsin Monastery. One of the most mysterious places Armenia, the Haghartsin monastery complex, immersed in the greenery of mountain forests. Located near everyone's favorite Dilijan.
6. Makaravank Monastery. Just like Haghartsin, it is surrounded by dense forest in the Tavush region.
7. Odzun Monastery. The recently restored Odzun Monastery is one of the oldest monasteries in the Lori region.
8. Cathedral Etchmiadzin. The cathedral, built in 303, is the religious center of all Armenians.
9. Khor Virap Monastery. Located at the foot of Mount Ararat, Khor Virap stands apart from all the temples, because... It was from here that the Christian era of Armenia began. The monastery was built on the site of the dungeon where the first Catholicos of Armenians, Gregory the Illuminator, spent many years in captivity.
10. Akhtala Monastery. Another unique architectural structure of the Lori region.
11. Temple of Saint Gayane.
Located a few hundred meters from the Cathedral in Etchmiadzin. It is one of the best monuments of Armenian architecture.
12. Church of St. Hripsime. Another temple with unique architecture located in Etchmiadzin.
13. Vahanavank Monastery.
Located near the city of Kapan.Surrounded by the stunning nature of the Syunik mountains, the monastery complex is the tomb of the Syunik kings and princes.
14. Sevanavank monastery complex. Located on the peninsula of Lake Sevan.
15. Saghmosavank Monastery.
It is located near the city of Ashtarak, on the edge of the Kasakh River gorge.
16. Hovhanavank Monastery.
Located near Saghmosavank.
17. Monastic complex Kecharis.
Is in ski resort, city of Tsakhkazor.
18. Khnevank Monastery.
Located near the city of Stepanavan, the temple is another most beautiful temple in the Lori region.
19. Goshavank Monastery. The monastery complex founded by Mkhitar Gosh is located in the village of the same name near Dilijan.
20. Gndevank Monastery. Surrounded by beautiful rocks, it is located in the Vayots Dzor region, near the resort town of Jermuk.
21. Marmashen Monastery. Surrounded by an apple orchard on the banks of the Akhuryan River near the city of Gyumri, the monastery complex is especially beautiful in May, when the trees are in bloom.
22. Vorotnavank Monastery. Located near the city of Sisisan.
22. Harichavank Monastery. It is located in the Shirak region near the city of Artik.
23. Tegher Monastery. Located on the southeastern slope of Mount Aragats.
24. Sanahin Monastery. Along with the Haghpat Monastery, Geghard, the churches of Etchmiadzin (the Cathedral, the temples of St. Hripsime and Gayane), as well as the Zvartnots Temple, it is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Located near the city of Alaverdi.
25. Tatevi Mets Anapat (Great Tatev Hermitage). The monastery is located in the Vorotan Gorge. It was part of Tatev University. It was connected to the Tatev Monastery by an underground passage, which was destroyed during the earthquake.
26. Ayrivank Temple. This small temple is located on the other side of Lake Sevan.
27. Tsakhats Kar Temple. Located near the village of Yeghegis, Vayots Dzor region.
28. Church of St. Oganes in the village of Ardvi near the city of Alaverdi
29. Vagramashen Church and Amberd Fortress. Located at an altitude of 2300 m on the slope of Mount Aragats.
30. Ruins of the Zvartnots Temple. Translated from ancient Armenian it means “Temple of Vigilant Angels”. Located on the way from Yerevan to Etchmiadzin. Destroyed during an earthquake in the 10th century, it was discovered at the beginning of the 20th century. Included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
31. Garni Temple. And, of course, we cannot ignore one of the most popular temples - the only temple of the pre-Christian era preserved on the territory of Armenia - the pagan temple of Garni. 
Of course, not all Armenian churches are represented here, but we tried to highlight the most significant of them. We are waiting for you among our guests and we will show you the brightest and most beautiful Armenia.
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photo: , Andranik Keshishyan, Mher Ishkhanyan, Arthur Manucharyan
The temple architecture of Armenia deserves special attention. Armenia is the first country to adopt Christianity as a state religion; this happened already in the 4th century, which is why there are so many very ancient churches here. Almost every town and village has a church, and very often it dates back to the 4th-8th centuries.
It is difficult to confuse the Armenian church with any other, even with the neighboring Georgian, not to mention Byzantine or, especially, Russian. Their characteristic feature is a cone-shaped dome.
1. . X-XIII centuries - With. Haghpat. This is a functioning monastery in the village of Haghpat of the same name in northern Armenia, 10 km from the city of Alaverdi. The Haghpat Monastery is a significant monument of urban planning in medieval Armenia, distinguished by its unity and compactness of asymmetrical layout, beautiful silhouette on the mountainous terrain. The monasteries of Haghpat and Sanahin were included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1996.
2. . XII-XIII centuries - With. Kober Kayaran. This is a medieval Armenian monastery. Located near the city of Tumanyan, Lori region of Armenia.
3. . XIII century - With. Akhtala. A monastery and fortress on a small plateau in the gorge of the Depet River (currently an urban village in the Lori region of Armenia). In the 10th century the fortress of Ptgavank (Akhtala) became the most important strategic point of the kingdom of the Kyurikyan-Bagratids.
4. . X-XII centuries -G. Alaverdi (Sanain village). a monument of Armenian architecture, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The monastery complex, founded in the 10th century, gained worldwide fame. Sanahin owned vast lands, the number of brethren in the X-XI centuries. reached 300-500 people, among whom were scientists and cultural figures.
5. . VI century - With. Odzun. Located in the east of Gavar Tashir in the historical province of Gugark. The village has preserved the domed basilica of the Odzun Monastery, presumably dating back to the 6th century. The church is located on the central hill of the village and is visible from almost any point.
6. , XVII century.
7., XII-XIII centuries - p. Ghosh. Armenian medieval monastery complex in Varazhnunik Gavar in the historical province of Airarat. One of the largest cultural, educational and religious centers of medieval Armenia. The sources mention it as a seminary, university, etc. Prominent cultural figures of Armenia studied and lived here.
8. , 10th century - With. Vagramaberd. Located 10 km northwest of the city of Gyumri in the village of the same name Marmashen. Built in X- XIII centuries in Gavar Shirak, Ayrarat province. The Marmashen Monastery consists of three religious buildings. The main temple is located in the center of the courtyard and is the largest building; it is built of red brick and is a domed hall.
9., VII century. The temple was built by priests Gregory and Manas. It is a small cross-shaped building with an octagonal drum installed on the roof.
10., 630 - Vagharshapat (Etchmiadzin). The Armenian church, located in the city of Vagharshapat in the Armavir region of Armenia, is part of the Etchmiadzin Monastery. Since 2000, the church has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
11. , IX-XVII centuries. - With. Tatev. This is an Armenian monastery complex in the Syunik region of Armenia, 20 km from the city of Goris. It is part of a large tourist complex, which also includes the hermitage of Tatevi Anapat, the Wings of Tatev cable car, the natural bridge of Satani Kamurj, the Satani Kamurj cave and many other attractions.
12., V century. - With. Aravus. It is located in Vayots Dzor region, on a picturesque mountain range. The path leading to it is replete with numerous turns with sharp changes in elevation. The monastery complex consists of two churches, a cemetery and the ruins of the ancient Gladzor University. It is made of deep blue basalt, and therefore it is often called the “Black Monastery”.
13. , X-XI centuries. - With. Artabuink.
14. (XIV century).
15. . 7th century
16. . Yeghegis.
17. . XVIII century. Located on the northwestern coast of Lake Sevan, Gegharkunik province, Armenia. The complex of buildings is located on the Sevan peninsula of the same name, which was previously a small island.
At the end of the 8th century, several monks settled on the island of Sevan and built their cells and chapel here. Thanks to the favorable position of the island, their number increased, and active construction of the monastery began. To build the walls, a ledge was cut out of the rock around the island, on which large stone blocks were laid. The wall surrounded the island, and a watchtower with a gate was built above it. Next, the monks built three churches, cells and outbuildings.
18. . 9th century Located near the village of Hayravank, on west bank Lake Sevan, Gegharkunik region of Armenia.
19. , XII-XIII centuries. - With. Geghard. Geghard (literally “spear”) is a monastery complex, a unique architectural structure in the Kotayk region, Armenia. Located in the gorge of the mountain river Gokht (the right component of the Azat river), approximately 40 km southeast of Yerevan. Included by UNESCO in the list of World Cultural Heritage Sites.
20. , XII century, Yerevan.
December 28th, 2015 , 06:05 pm
In all centuries, no matter where the fate of the Armenians took them, they built their temples where they lived. It is not simple national tradition to build Armenian churches in the Diaspora, but rather the spiritual need of the people for whom Christianity is the color of their skin. And today, with the revival of the faith of the people, with the craving of the Armenians of the Diaspora for their spiritual roots, our churches are being built everywhere in the Diaspora.
It is certainly logical that the construction of Armenian churches in the Diaspora almost always began in large cities. Where the community is larger, where there are more wealthy patrons of the arts, the sooner such an undertaking can be realized. But even in relatively small cities, and even villages, temples can be and are being built. The main thing is the presence of an Armenian community and caring, enterprising people who are ready to invest their own, not at all small, funds in this, first of all, charitable and, secondly, patriotic cause.
As experience shows, often a person who decides to take on the responsible mission of initiator and organizer of the construction of an Armenian church in his city does not know where to start this business and what difficulties he may encounter in the process. Therefore, on the pages of my blog I will try to describe all possible questions and problems and give as detailed an answer to them as possible.
In addition, one of my tasks is to familiarize blog visitors with Armenian religious architecture, with the great classical examples of our temple architecture, as well as with the most interesting (and sometimes vice versa) examples of modern churches. Naturally, architectural analysis and commentary will be given on the advantages or disadvantages of the presented examples. This will help people who do not understand the intricacies of temple architecture and construction to evaluate this or that temple or temple project, and will help patrons who are planning to order a project from an architect and build a temple to distinguish good, professional projects from bad and amateurish ones, of which, unfortunately, not a little.
I hope this blog turns out to be useful topics who are interested in Armenian temple architecture, especially the Armenians of the Diaspora, who are going to build a church in their city. And if you are planning to build an Armenian church and need a project, then you have come to the right place! The customer who contacted me can be sure that the church he built according to my design will become another original example of Armenian temple architecture, and not its mediocre imitation.
However, I hope to be useful in matters of church architecture of other Christian denominations. Perhaps someone in the post-Soviet space will want to build a Russian church in the ancient Byzantine style, i.e. made of stone. The customer can be sure that by contacting me with this, he has come to the right address. After all, Byzantine Greek Orthodox church architecture is actually much closer to Armenian than to Russian. One way or another, the theme of the Byzantine stone temple is much closer to the Armenian architect than to the Russian one. Moreover, to build a stone temple (and not its imitation) on the territory former USSR only Armenian builders can.
All of the above about the Greek Orthodox churches may be of interest to Roman Catholics and Protestants. After all, the spirit of ancient Eastern Christianity is not alien to them, a visible manifestation of which can be a stone church, even if it is built in compliance with the special traditions that have developed in Roman Catholicism and Protestantism.
You can ask me your questions related to church architecture both in the comments to articles on this blog and in personal messages on LiveJournal. Considering that most of my readers are not registered on LiveJournal, you can also write to me by email:
Sincerely, architect Samvel Makyan.
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My projects of Armenian churches.
You can go to the page with each project separately by clicking on its inscription.
Architecture
The attention of European scientists to Armenian ancient monuments was first attracted by French and English travelers of the 19th century. Based on their descriptions, drawings and plans, Auguste Choisy, in his History of Architecture, published in 1899, made the first attempt at a systematic study of Armenian architecture. Viewing this architecture as a local expression of Byzantine art, Choisy nevertheless pointed to some specific forms and methods of construction, as well as possible Armenian influence on Balkan, and especially Serbian, monuments. The connection between Armenian and Byzantine architecture was explored in 1916 by Millet in his book L"Ecole grecque dans I"architecture Byzantine(“Greek School in Byzantine Architecture”). By this time, new monuments had become known, which was facilitated by excavations in Ani and other cities of Armenia, expeditions of Russian archaeologists and research by Armenian scientists, especially the architect Toros Toramanyan. The results of their work were widely used by I. Strzhigovsky in the monograph “Architecture of Armenia and Europe,” which was published in 1918. Since then, Armenian monuments have been included in all major works devoted to medieval architecture, and the work carried out by Armenian and foreign scholars over the past forty years has significantly expanded the field of research.
Strzhigovsky argued that Armenia belongs the main role in the origin and development of Christian architecture. He believed that the Armenians had embodied in stone the corbelled dome common in the brick architecture of northern Iran. He also believed that the Armenians were the first to build a church in the shape of a square with small niches, topped with a dome. According to Strzhigovsky, the Armenians introduced other types of domed buildings; he traced their influence on the art of not only Byzantium and other Christian countries of the Middle East, but also Western Europe, both in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. “The Greek genius in St. Sophia and the Italian genius in St. Peter,” wrote Strzygovsky, “only realized more fully what the Armenians had created.”
Recognizing the great importance of Strzygowski's book - the first systematic study of Armenian architecture - most scientists still reject the extremes of his assessments. Excavations in different countries revealed to the world many new monuments of early Christianity, and scientists were able to verify the existence of identical types of buildings located at gigantic distances from each other. A. Grabar's studies of the memorial chapels of Christian martyrs and their relationship to the mausoleums of late Antiquity put the problem of the origin and development of Christian architecture on a broader basis. No country can be considered the primary source from which all others only drew inspiration.
The opposite point of view was expressed by the Georgian scientist G. Chubinashvili. Without any justification, dating Armenian monuments to later centuries, often with a shift of several centuries, this man proved the priority and superiority of Georgian models, believing that Armenian churches are nothing more than a pale copy of Georgian prototypes. Such statements, made with complete disregard for historical information, are unacceptable and are refuted by other reputable scholars. In reality, there was a parallel development in both countries, especially in the early centuries, when the Georgian and Armenian churches were united and constant and frequent contacts were maintained between them. There's no doubt what happened mutual exchange: Armenian and Georgian architects must have often collaborated, as evidenced by Armenian inscriptions in the Georgian churches of Jvari and Ateni-Zion (Ateni Zion). The latter mentions the name of the architect Todosaka and his assistants. Without contrasting the architectural monuments of two countries, but by examining them together, one can reveal secrets hidden from us for centuries.
The monuments of Garni are the only remains of the pagan architecture of Armenia known to us. During the excavations, the walls of powerful fortifications and fourteen rectangular towers, a large vaulted hall and several smaller rooms that made up the royal palace were found (see photo 8), as well as parts of the baths built to the north of the palace and consisting of four rooms with an apsidal completion.
Rice. 10. Plan of the Garni baths (according to Arakelyan)
The most valuable ruins are the remains of a temple built during the reign of Tiridates I shortly after 66 AD. The temple stood until 1679, when it was destroyed by an earthquake. Now only the lectern remains, reached by nine steps, the lower part of the walls of the naos and pronaos, parts of the twenty-four Ionic columns and the entablature. This type of Roman columned temple is known from the monuments in Asia Minor - the temples of Sagalas and the Baths of Pisidia.
Several centuries separate the Garni temple from Christian shrines, the earliest surviving examples of which date back to the end of the 5th century. And until other monuments are found, we cannot trace the early stages of the development of Christian architecture in Armenia. But in the period from the end of the 5th century to the middle of the 7th century there was a rapid development of architecture, as evidenced by numerous monuments. If at first glance the surge in construction activity at a time when Armenia lost its independence and the country was divided between Byzantium and Persia seems surprising, it is worth remembering what was said earlier about the nakharars, the wealth accumulated by them and the church, and it will become clear why this happened . The names of the customers of the buildings, immortalized in dedicatory inscriptions or recorded by historians, indicate that the churches were erected by Catholicoses and heads of feudal families, such as Amatuni, Mamikonyan, Kamsarakan and Sagaruni. Thus, the feudal organization favored the spread of churches in different areas of the country. The absence of a central authority that could limit church architecture to certain types also partly explains the wide variety of designs and styles of the period.
Armenian churches are built from local volcanic stone, which comes in yellow, brownish-yellow and darker shades. The stonework is clad in thin, carefully cut and sanded panels; only the corner blocks are monolithic. This construction method was used for both heavy columns and vaults. Why do churches, which often have small sizes, give the impression of solidity and strength. Form interior spaces does not always coincide with a single external form. A rectangular outline can mask round, polygonal or more complex shapes, and only triangular recesses in external walls sometimes mark the junction of different types of elements. Sometimes carved decorations and arcades around the walls help soften the ascetic appearance of the facade. There are relatively few windows in the walls. From the 7th century onwards, when the main type of buildings became dome structures, a pyramidal or conical roof covering the dome drum became a characteristic feature appearance Armenian churches.
Rice. eleven. Avan Church, built by Catholicos John. 590–611
When erecting domes over square or octagonal structures, Armenian architects usually resorted to a trompe, a small arch or semi-conical niche at the corners, which allows the transition from a square to an octagon, and from an octagon to a polygonal base for the dome drum. Where the dome was supported by free-standing columns, they used pendantives (sails) - inverted spherical triangles placed between adjacent arches to create a continuous base for the drum.
All earlier surviving Armenian churches are basilicas. This project ultimately goes back, as elsewhere in Christendom, to pagan sanctuaries. Armenian basilicas, regardless of whether they have side naves or not, are always vaulted. They have no transepts (transverse naves), and nothing violates the unity of the internal space. Transverse arches, often horseshoe-shaped, rest on T-shaped columns and strengthen the vaults of the nave and side aisles. One roof sometimes covers all three limits, as in the Kasakh Basilica, one of the most ancient. In other churches, the central nave rises higher than the side ones and is covered with a different roof. The basilica in Ereruk and those that were originally created in Tekor and Dvina, being larger, had side porticos ending in small apses. Yereruk Church has a facade with two towers - the only example in Armenia of such a design, used in several Syrian churches, but these towers project from the side, as in Anatolian shrines.
Rice. 12. Basilica of Ereruk. V–VI centuries (according to Khachatryan)
Churches of the basilica type did not remain “in fashion” for long. From the end of the 6th century they gave way various designs central dome type. They trace their origins to the mausoleums of late antiquity and the first Christian chapels of martyrs, but their unexpected appearance in Armenia and the variety of designs suggest that even before the 6th century different schemes. This is confirmed by excavations of the cathedral in Etchmiadzin. The uncovered foundation of the 5th century church is identical in plan to the extant 7th century buildings, having a square shape with four projecting axial niches and four free-standing columns supporting the dome.
Rice. 13. Cathedral in Talish. 668 1:500
In the 6th century, the widespread use of domes changed basilica designs. In churches without chapels, the arches supporting the drum of the dome rest on composite columns (Zovuni) or on low walls extending from the north and southern walls (Ptgni, Talish). In three-nave basilicas, the columns on which the arches rest stand freely (Odzun, Bagavan, Mren (see photo 9), St. Gayane Church in Vagharshapat), forming a cross inside a square. The parts coming from the central span are covered with a vault higher than the aisles, therefore, the shape of the cross is also conveyed in the covering. In the restored Talin Cathedral (see photo 10), the northern and southern rays of the cross are elongated in such a way as to form corresponding niches or small apses, resembling a trefoil in plan.
Rice. 14. Cathedral in Mrena. 638–640 1:500
In a number of projects, a strictly central version of the plan appears. In its simplest form, the square is supported by four convex niches, and a trompe l'oeil dome covers the entire central space (Agrak). When the niches are rectangular along the outer perimeter and there are no side rooms in the eastern part, the free-standing cross is more clearly expressed outwardly. Sometimes, as in Lmbat and the church of Ashtarak, known as Karmravor (see photo 11), the rays of the cross, except for the eastern one, also have a rectangular outline inside. The trefoil is a variant of the niche-buttress square, where the western beam is longer than the others and has a rectangular perimeter (Alaman, St. Ananias). In another version of the same basic type The diameters of the axial convex niches are smaller than the sides of the square, thus defining the angular projecting parts that provide eight points of support for the drum (Mastara, Artik, Voskepar) (see photo 12). In these churches the dome covers the entire central space, however in the Church of St. John the Baptist in Bagaran, now almost completely destroyed, a different method was used. The niches had a diameter that was smaller than the sides of the square, but the dome, supported by four free-standing columns, no longer covered the entire central space. This method was used in Etchmiadzin, where, due to the large size of the building, the corner square plots were equal to the central square.
Rice. 15. Talin Cathedral, 7th century.
Rice. 16. Artik Church. VII century (according to Khachatryan), 1:500
In its simplest form, the niche-buttress square is essentially a quatrefoil, and the best example of a quatrefoil is the great church of Zvartnots, built between 644 and 652 by Catholicos Nerses III the Builder next to his palace. According to legend, it was placed on the spot on the road to Vagharshapat, where King Tiridates met Gregory the Illuminator, and the church was dedicated to the angels, the “watchful forces” (zvartnots), who appeared to Saint Gregory in a vision.
Rice. 17. Plan of the Zvartnots Church. 644–652 (according to Khachatryan), 1:500
From the end of the 4th century onwards, quatrefoil structures were built mainly as martyrs' chapels in different parts Sveta. We find them in Milan (San Lorenzo), in the Balkans and in Syria - in Seleucia, Pieria, Apamea, Bosra and Aleppo, to name a few. In its general design, Zvartnots is connected with these shrines, although it is somewhat different from them. A round bypass gallery surrounds the tetraconch; a square room extends beyond the round wall in the east. Of the four niches, only the eastern one has a solid wall, the other three are open exedra, each with six columns, and provide easy access to the gallery.
Rice. 18. Sectional view of Zvartnots Church (drawing by Kenneth J. Conant)
The Zvartnots Church was destroyed in the 10th century. Only the foundation, remains of walls, bases, capitals and individual sections of columns have survived to this day, but comparison with other churches with a similar design allowed Toramanyan to propose a reconstruction project accepted by most scholars. The church rose to a great height, the walls above the exedra were pierced by a series of arches opening into a vaulted gallery, and windows were located higher in the walls of the exedra. The dome with a round drum, pierced by windows, is installed using penditives on arches connecting four columns. The semi-domes of the quatrefoil were adjacent to it, and to them, in turn, was adjacent the vault above the bypass gallery.
– Rice. 19. Vagharshapat. Plan of the Church of St. Hripsime. 618 (according to Khachatryan), 1:500
Rice. 20. Vagharshapat. St. Hripsime Church, enveloping diagram (drawing by Kenneth J. Conant)
The project of the Church of St. Hripsime in Vagharshapat is considered the most Armenian of all (see photo 14). It is an improved version of the niche-buttress square, in which four small cylindrical niches are located between axial semicircular niches, providing access to the four corner rooms. The dome covers the central octagonal space, flanked by both axial and diagonal niches. WITH outside deep triangular niches mark the points of articulation. The same type of construction, with minor modifications, was repeated during the construction of the Church of St. John in Sisian. The Church of Etchmiadzin at Soradir, known as the Red Church, appears to show an earlier stage of development. There are no corner rooms in the western part, and both axial and diagonal niches are clearly expressed on the outside, and in the eastern part there are two narrow rooms located on the sides of the apse. In the Avan Church, on the contrary, the entire ensemble of rooms and niches is hidden in the massive stonework of a smooth rectangular structure, while the corner rooms are round, and not square, as in the Church of St. Hripsime (see Fig. 11). In these churches the addition of diagonal niches defines an octagonal space, in others the octagon completely displaces the central square, and eight niches are on eight sides (Irindus, Zotavar).
Rice. 21. Ani. Cathedral, 989-1001 (according to Khachatryan), 1:500
As we can see, Armenian architects of the 6th and 7th centuries, when erecting a dome over a square space, made different decisions. Throughout this period, Armenia was in contact with Persia, as well as with the eastern provinces Byzantine Empire and Georgia, where similar constructions were carried out. The engineering problems that architects had to solve were identical, especially in areas where building material there was a stone, just like in Armenia. It is no longer possible to determine the degree of mutual influence over the years. The Garni Temple is located behind the line of development of Armenian architecture, but a domed mausoleum could also exist here, which, as in other countries, served as a prototype. It should only be emphasized that in their experiments the Armenians often followed an independent course.
With the onset of the Bagratid era, building activity resumed, and with it the vast array of structural forms created in earlier centuries was revived. Ani, the city of a thousand and one churches, protected by a double line of fortifications, was the most important center. Moreover, King Gagik I was lucky to get the service of the architect Trdat, who worked on the restoration of the dome of the Church of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople, damaged during the earthquake of 989. The very fact of Trdat’s participation in the construction and restoration of the most famous buildings The Byzantine Empire speaks of its wide popularity. In Ani, Trdat's masterpiece is the cathedral, built between 989 and 1001. In this version of constructing a cross in a rectangle, Trdat emphasized the vertical effect and the elegance of the overall appearance. Pointed stepped arches rising from free-standing column clusters support a round drum on penditives. The dome that rested on the drum is now destroyed. Recessed pilasters placed in the southern and northern walls face central columns. The narrow side apses are almost completely hidden by low walls; ten semicircular arches open into the wall of the wide central apse. Ani's clustered columns resemble a design used much later in Gothic architecture, but with a different structural function. On the exterior of the cathedral, the deep triangular recesses that mark the joints in the design create shaded areas and highlight the elegance of the graceful columns of the continuous arcade. The cathedral in Ani is very harmonious, proportional (see photo 13), once had a majestic dome and is rightfully considered one of the most valuable examples of medieval architecture.
Rice. 22. Ani. Church of the Savior. 1035–1036, 1:350
In the Church of St. Gregory, also built by Gagik I in Ani, Trdat copied the plan of the Zvartnots Church. Today, only the foundation remains of it, which shows that Trdat replaced the solid wall of the eastern niche of Zvartnots with an open exedra. Other churches at Ani are examples of six- and eight-petal plans, usually with two side apses at the eastern petal, and the whole structure is surrounded by a polygonal wall (for example, the Church of the Savior, see photo 15), sometimes having triangular recesses between the petals (for example, the Church of St. Gregory Abugamrents).
Rice. 23. Ani. Church of St. Gregory Abugamrents, 1:350
During this period, modifications of the niche-buttress square also appear, in which the niches are smaller than the sides, for example in the Kars Cathedral (see photo 16) and in the church known as Kümbet Kilise, located near the city. Plan of the Church of the Holy Cross in Akhtamar (see photo 17), built by King Gagik of Vaspurakan between 915 and 921, with semicircular axial niches along the diagonals, basically repeating standard project Church of St. Hripsime, is still more similar to the Church of Soradira in the Vaspurakan region. In both cases there are no corner rooms, and narrow side apses are located on the sides of the eastern apse. It was a hall church in which the dome was supported by columns projecting from the side walls, and these were the types of churches most often built in later centuries. Marmashen Cathedral (see photo 18) is one of the best surviving examples of churches of this type.
Rice. 24. Akhtamar. Church of the Holy Cross. 915–921 (according to Khachatryan), 1:350
Rice. 25. Marmashen Church. 986-1029 (according to Khachatryan), 1:350
Architects of the 10th and subsequent centuries did not always return to old models and often created new, more progressive types of structures. At this time, large monastic complexes were erected, for example in Tatev, in the Syunik region, as well as in Sanakhin and Haghpat - in northern Armenia. Such complexes included, in addition to monastic cells, a library, a refectory, a belfry, several churches with large gavits (zhamatun), and it was primarily in the latter that the new method buildings (see photo 19). The earliest known example of the new type is not the gavit, but the Church of the Shepherd, built in the 11th century outside the city walls of Ani. In plan, this three-story structure has the shape of a six-pointed star, imprinted in heavy stonework. On the outer side, twelve triangular projections were cut into the walls - between the rays of the star.
Rice. 26. Monastery in Sanakhin: 1 - Church of the Mother of God. X century; 2 - Church of the Savior. 966; 3 – a vaulted hall known as the Academy of Gregory the Master; 4 – Chapel of St. Gregory. 1061; 5 - library. 1063; 6 – gavit (zhamatun). 1181; 7 - gavit. 1211; 8 - belfry.
XIII century (according to Khachatryan), 1:500
Six arches rising from clustered columns at the corners of the star meet in the keystone and carry the entire load created by the second floor. This floor is round inside and hexagonal outside, above it rises a round drum on which rests a conical dome.
Rice. 27. Ani. Chapel of the Shepherd. XI century View from above
Rice. 28. Ani. Chapel of the Shepherd. XI century Envelope diagram (according to Strzhigovsky), 1:200
Various systems were used to construct the roofs of the antichapels. In one of them, attached to south side Church of the Holy Apostles in Ani (see photo 19), six columns adjacent to the walls divide the rectangular space into two square bays. Above each of these, masonry arches rest on these columns, cross each other diagonally, and low walls rising above the arches support the ceiling. The side walls are reinforced with wall arches that support low columns. The central space is topped with a stalactite-shaped dome. More complex forms are used in the large square gavit of the Khoromos Church, built in 1038. The hall is covered by two pairs of intersecting arches running parallel to the side walls. Over the bays to the east and west of the central square, the ceiling rests on small walls rising above the arches, as in the Church of the Holy Apostles at Ani, but the vaults of the side bays rest directly on the arches.
Rice. 29. Haghpat. Gavit. XIII century Envelope diagram (drawing by Kenneth J. Conant)
The four corners of the rectangles are covered by sections of a triangular vault intersecting at right angles. An octagonal drum lined with carved panels rises above a central square and is topped by a small dome supported by six supporting columns. As you can see, different vaults were used here, which was the initial stage of research on such structures as the great gavit of Haghpat, completed in the 12th and 13th centuries. Large arches, intersecting at right angles, overlap again square hall, but only now the spans are covered with masonry vaults that rest directly on the arches.
This construction method favored the construction of two- and three-story buildings. The first are mostly funerary chapels, in which the lower floor was used directly for burial, and the upper, which was usually smaller in size, served as a chapel. Several such churches were built in the 11th–14th centuries, mainly in the province of Syunik. One of the most richly decorated is the chapel of the Noravank monastery complex in Amagu (see photo 20). Three-story buildings - belfry towers - were erected in large monasteries. At the Haghpat Monastery, the lower floors contained one or more small chapels for religious services, and the bell tower at the top was topped with a conical roof (see photo 21). All these structures emphasize vertical structure and lightweight forms.
With the development of transit trade during the reign of the Bagratids, caravanserais and hotels were built on the main trade routes in different parts of the country. Caravanserais are, in principle, three-nave vaulted basilicas covered with a single roof. There are no windows in the walls; light and air enter only through small holes in the roof. The ruins of the caravanserai in Talin show more complex design. The extensive central platform was open and surrounded by a vaulted gallery on three sides, on north side there were five small rooms overlooking the central platform. Three-nave basilica halls stood on either side of the central square, but were not connected. The large hotel at Ani consisted of two separate but adjacent buildings. In each of them, the central rectangular hall was adjoined on both sides small rooms, overlooking the hall. It is believed that the large rooms located on the short sides of the rectangle served as shops. In the northwestern part of the city of Ani there are the ruins of a palace probably built in the 13th century. Here we have, although on a smaller scale, another example of a structure with rooms surrounding a central hall. The large portal still retains the remains of complex mosaic decorations and patterns.
Armenian architecture is an important chapter in the history of Christian architecture. She contributed to solving engineering problems associated with the construction of domed stone structures. Maintaining contact with the West and East, Armenia used the experience of other countries, but its architects always did everything in their own way, giving standard solutions a national flavor. Even scholars who reject Strzygowski’s extreme assessments admit that the architectural forms created in Armenia penetrated into other countries and influenced them. architectural solutions. A striking example is a typical Byzantine church 10th century, in which the dome over a square span rests on corner tropics. As R. Krautheimer noted in his work on early Christian and Byzantine architecture, “of all the border countries of the empire, only Armenia was on an equal footing with Byzantine architecture. But the differences between Byzantine and Armenian structures - in design, construction, scale and decoration - are not emphasized too much."