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- Vagharshapat
- Echmiadzin Cathedral
Etchmiadzin is located near Yerevan. This place is revered by the Armenians of the whole world, since here is the center of the Armenian Apostolic Church. Etchmiadzin - formerly known as Vagharshapat - was founded in the first half of the 2nd century on the site of the ancient settlement of Vardgesavan. Since 163, after the destruction by the Romans of Artashat, the city became the political, cultural, and then the religious and educational center of the country. In 301, Christianity became the state religion of Armenia. According to legend, the first patriarch Grigor Lusavorich (the Illuminator) dreamed as the only-begotten, that is, Christ, came down from heaven with a fire hammer in his hands and indicated the place for the construction of the cathedral. At this place in the year 303, where there was an ancient pagan temple, a church was founded, called Etchmiadzin, which in Armenian means "the place of the Descent of the One Begotten." Since Armenia often lost its statehood, the role of the supreme religious head of all Armenians, the Catholicos, was growing more and more. Therefore, the Etchmiadzin Cathedral, as the most permanent center of the country's spiritual power, although it was often destroyed, was also better equipped than other monasteries.
In the 15th century, an open narthex of the main entrance was attached to the western part of the church, over which a bell tower with magnificent architectural decoration towered. Then the internal walls of the cathedral were decorated. The decoration of the cathedral was completed in 1786 by the talented artist Hovnatanyan. In addition to ornaments and other decorations, the artist painted many scenes on the themes of holy scripture, made more than 120 portraits with images of saints and apostles, and restored many old ones. Over the following years, many of the frescoes were destroyed. In the twentieth century, a thorough restoration was carried out. The columns and arches supporting the dome were strengthened, and the dome itself was lined with lead. A new altar was built from marble. Marble was tiled and the floor of the church. The paintings inside the temple were updated and supplemented. A rare feature of the cathedral is that in it, in addition to the main altar in its eastern part, there are three more altars. Two of them are respectively in the southern and northern parts, and the third is not so much an altar as a holy place. According to legend, it was to this place that Christ came down in his appearance. To store the relics and gifts coming to the church, in 1869, the premises in which the museum is now located were added to the cathedral. The museum houses holy relics, church clothes embroidered with gold and pearls, staves and crosses of the Catholics, numerous ritual objects made of gold, silver, ivory. There are Catholicos chairs decorated with mother-of-pearl and ivory, and with silver cast figures. In Etchmiadzin, the oldest examples of art of the past were also stored. There were ancient manuscripts and miniatures that were later transported to Yerevan. To the left of the entrance to the monastery is the Echmiadzin Printing House, founded in 1772, and to the right are the cells of the monks. There are many khachkars on the territory of the monastery. Among them are Amenaprkich (1279), and khachkar XVII, transported from the cemetery of Old Dzhugi, and recently installed modern khachkar - to the victims of the 1915 genocide. Echmiadzin is the residence of the Armenian patriarch - the Catholicos of all Armenians. His palace is located in the courtyard of the monastery. At the entrance to the residence of the Catholicos, the “gates of Trdat” rise. Although they were rebuilt many times, the stone blocks of the 4th century were preserved at their base. It is believed that the palace of Armenian kings was located on the site of these gates. The Theological Academy of St. Etchmiadzin is also located on the territory of the monastery complex. This is the only educational institution of this type in the world. There are few listeners - only 50 people. The following subjects are mainly studied here: logic, rhetoric, psychology, world history, philosophy and languages. Of the languages, ancient Greek, Russian, English, and Armenian are especially carefully studied - both modern and old Armenian. The first Armenian school was opened at the monastery. There are three more ancient monuments in Etchmiadzin. According to legend, these temples were erected in honor of the martyrs - the first Christians who fled from Rome from the persecution of the emperor. These are the temples: Surb Hripsime, Surb Gayane and Surb Shoghakat. Surb Hripsime Temple was built in 618. This is a slender and magnificent building. Inside the church has the shape of a rectangle in which the cross is inscribed, formed by four semicircular apses. In four corners are located aisles. From one of them you can enter the crypt located under the altar, where according to legend, Hripsime was buried. The decoration of the building is very modest. In 1790, a two-tier bell tower with an eight-columned belfry was attached to it. In the narthex of the church are kept, inlaid with mother of pearl, the throne gate of 1741. Surb Gayane Temple was erected in 630 on the site of a chapel of the IV century. It is one of the best monuments of Armenian architecture. The appearance of the temple is distinguished by the harmony of proportions. The laconic and strict church building is decorated only with ornaments on floral motifs located on the frames of doors and windows. The rectangular premises of the church are divided into two parts by two rows of columns. The columns are designed to bear the gravity of the dome, resting on a slender octagonal drum. In 1652, it was thoroughly renovated, and in 1683 a gallery was attached to it for the burial of the hierarchs of the Armenian church. At the extreme domes of the gallery are elegant belfries. On the architectural details - ornamental carving. Above the entrance, the 17th century mural for the birth of Christ has been preserved. Surb Shoghakat Temple was erected in 1694. It is notable for its peculiar architecture, known as the "domed hall". The only door leading to the church opens from the vaulted gallery on the west side. The inside of the church is supported by only a few columns. Thanks to careful calculations, builders calmly dispensed with any intermediate supports. The vaulted gallery above the entrance is crowned with a six-columned belfry. The strict form of details and decoration has much in common with the construction of the main cathedral and the church of St. Hripsime. On the territory of Echmiadzin there is also a seminary building, built in the 19th century. The great composer Komitas taught here, and now there is an art museum that bears his name. Here is a collection of works by major artists of the twentieth century: Saryan, Khanjyan, Kochar.
