Haghpat Monastery
The monastery Haghpat ( Armenian Հաղպատավանք Haghpatawank ) is a monastery of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Haghpat in the province of Lori in the north of Armenia . The monastery, which was founded in the 10th century, remained largely in its original state, apart from minor renovations in the 11th and 12th centuries. It is considered an outstanding example of medieval Armenian architecture .
In 2000, UNESCO added the monastery to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites together with the Sanahin Monastery located four kilometers to the west (which has been a World Heritage Site since 1996) . Although both were founded as independent monasteries, they are viewed as sibling monasteries with complementary ensembles.
location
Like the other monasteries in northern Armenia (as opposed to the monasteries located in the arid southern areas) it is not located in a secluded location, but was deliberately built near an existing village. In order to symbolize the seclusion from the world, the builders erected the monastery in a slightly elevated position as a fortified structure in the center of a cauldron-shaped valley , which is often cloud-covered. From the monastery you can see the valley of the river Debed . On the other side of the river valley there is a 2,500 meter high peak.
Building description
The monastery is surrounded by a wall ring with round towers. Two gates lead into the interior. The actual monastery consists of eight buildings. The Surb Nschan Church (Holy Cross Church) is a vaulted, single-nave church that looks rectangular from the outside, but is cross-shaped on the inside. Its central dome rests on four columns set up on the side walls. It is therefore a typical example of Armenian architecture of the 10th century. Most of the furnishings were donated by Armenian feudal lords . The fresco in the apse was commissioned by the Armenian prince Khutulukhaga. It shows Christ as Pantocrator (ruler of the world). A figure of Prince Khutulukhaga can be seen in the south transept. On the bas-relief in the east gable, the sons of the church founder, Princes Smbal and Kurike, are depicted together with their mother, Queen Khosrowanush.
The particularly large vestibule of Haghpat is a gawit typical of medieval churches in Armenia . Its architecture clearly borrows from the tradition of Armenian wooden buildings: the roof rests on four central pillars and is divided into nine parts by arches. Light can enter the building through an opening in the center of the roof, the yerdik . Several grave slabs of members of the Kiwrikean dynasty (Kyurikian, Kiurikian) can be found on the floor.
The octagonal bell tower, built in 1245, stands at the highest point of the monastery. His strict geometry of the windows, softened by rosettes, is interpreted as a “human figure” and as a cross that adorns the architecture of Armenia in various forms. On each of the three floors there are niches and apses with one or more altars.
The library is a compact square building that was added directly to the church between 1258 and 1268. It identifies Sanahin as "an important place of the Armenian spiritual life" and is considered a "jewel of architecture".
The chapter house is also connected to the church by a vaulted arcade. Built in the same style as the Gawit, it is the work of the head of the monastery, Hamazasp. Outside the monastery walls, the monks built the Holy Zion Chapel in a village further down the mountain in 1268.
The Chatschkar (cross stone) All Redeemer with the depiction of the descent from the cross and the ascension of Christ in the upper cross bar was built in 1273. There are more cross stones with artistic engravings and bishop's graves distributed over the area .
history
Queen Khosrowanush founded the monasteries Haghpat and Sanahin in the 10th century (967 or 976). The complex in Haghpat was named Surb Nschan Monastery (Monastery of the Holy Sign or Holy Cross). Its construction began in 966-67 under the Bagratid dynasty . The Surb Nschan Church (Holy Cross Church) is the oldest part of the complex. Its construction began around 976. Under the direction of the Armenian architect Trdat , the original building was enlarged and completed in 991. During the rule of the Armenian dynasty of the Kiwrikean (Kyurikyan, Kiurikian), who ruled the kingdom of Lori in the northeast of present-day Armenia from 996 to 1118, Haghpatavank became the home monastery of the ruling family and a spiritual center of the empire. During this time the St. Gregory Church (1005-25) and the Chapel of the Virgin Mary were built.
The monastery began to decline in the 11th and 12th centuries. External circumstances were responsible: The Byzantine Empire conquered the Armenian capital Ani in 1045 and the last Armenian king abdicated. By the end of the century, the Turkish Seljuks conquered large parts of Armenia, whereby the monastery came under Islamic rule. Around 1150 an earthquake severely damaged the monastery. The renovation work did not begin until 50 years later. Nevertheless, the spiritual influence of the monastery remained great during this period. Shortly after the renovation, the particularly large vestibule of Haghpat was built in place of a mausoleum around 1210 . It was used for funerals, meetings, and for teaching purposes. At that time there were probably several hundred monks living in Haghpatavank. They dined together in the dining room. However, the monastery did not have a dormitory, as the monks lived in the villages of the valley. During this time, the Haghpat Gospel, which is known for its depiction of secular people in religious scenes, was created.
In the 13th century, the Kajan fortress could not prevent the conquest of the area. When the Mongolian Golden Horde invaded Armenia in the late 13th century, Haghpatavank was devastated again. Nevertheless, monastic life did not come to a standstill. The monks had reinforced the protective walls of the monastery several times, which were severely damaged between the 14th and 17th centuries, but prevented the building from being fully taken. In 1651 and 1677 the Armenian Apostolic Church had the complex restored. In 1940, 1960 and 1980 the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic made plans for a comprehensive restoration of the building complex, which was damaged by an earthquake on December 7, 1988. However, these plans could only be implemented after Armenia regained independence (1991).
Detail in the Gawit
Dome in the Hamazasp building
Khachkar
Publications, media
Documentaries (film)
- Rudij Bergmann: "Haghpat and Sanahin Monasteries - Two Unequal Siblings" , SWR, 2010
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i j Elisabeth Baudourian: The monastery of Haghpat. In: UNESCO Courier pp. 42–44. UNESCO Publishing, May 1, 1998, accessed November 1, 2017 .
- ↑ UNESCO World Heritage Center: Monasteries of Haghpat and Sanahin. Retrieved August 25, 2017 .
- ↑ a b Haghpat - Haghpat and Sanahin Monasteries (Armenia) | Home | Treasures of the world . In: swr.online . ( swr.de [accessed on November 1, 2017]).
- ↑ a b Haghpat - Haghpat and Sanahin Monasteries (Armenia) | Home | Treasures of the world . In: swr.online . ( swr.de [accessed on November 1, 2017]).
- ^ Haghpat: Haghpat and Sanahin Monastery, Armenia, episode 328 | Home | Treasures of the world. Retrieved November 1, 2017 .
- ↑ Haghpat. In: Armenian Studies Program. California State University, Fresno , accessed August 28, 2016 .
Coordinates: 41 ° 5 ′ 38 " N , 44 ° 42 ′ 43" E