- TURY.CLUB
- Tourist Objects
- Armenia
- Goris
- Tatevivank Monastery
Tatevivank is located in the center of Syunik marz in southern Armenia, 30 km from the city of Goris near the village of the same name Tatev, on the right, high bank of the Vorotan (Gromovaya) river. Before climbing to this breathtaking height, you need to go down to the five-hundred-meter canyon of Vorotan, stop at the Devil's Bridge, at the warm baths of mineral springs, where the two banks of the river meet and, then, opening with each new turn of the road, a unique and beautiful landscape, go out out of him.
A powerful and impregnable stronghold rises the Tatev Monastery on a cliff breaking off into the gorge of the Vorotan River. The strategically advantageous location on the cape, formed by the deep, rocky slopes of the river gorge, favored the creation of a powerful defensive complex here. The monastery got its name in honor of St. Eustache (Arm. Eustatios-Statevos-Tatev) - a disciple of the Apostle Fadey, who preached, like his teacher, Christianity and was martyred for the new faith in the Syunik region of historical Armenia. The first church of the monastery was built in the X century. At this time, a small number of monks lived in the monastery. In the 13th century, Tatev became the residence of the Syunik bishops. In 848, the Syunik Prince Pilipos built the church of Surb Grigor Lusavorich (St. Gregory the Illuminator), he also presented the village of Tatev to the monastery. Other monarchs of Syunik were also given villages. The abbots of the monastery purchased their property at their own expense. As a result of all this, already in the 10th century, the Tatev Monastery became a large feudal landowner. In 906, the largest church of the monastery complex was built, the cathedral of Surb Pogos, Petros (St. Paul and Peter), which was sponsored by Prince Syunik Ashot and his wife Princess Shushan. The architecture of the cathedral is somewhat archaic. It reproduces the type of domed basilicas of the 12th century, but there are also new features in it - chapels in the western part of the cathedral, the corners of the walls of which are used as the supports of the dome. The harmonious proportionality of individual parts of the building enhances the impression of a significant height of the cathedral. Particularly striking are the large external volumes of the church dome, a high round drum crowned with an umbrella ceiling. The bas-reliefs adorning the windows are noteworthy, each of which represents a human face, to which the heads of snakes with a protruding sting are turned. The Armenians have long been revered by the snake as the patroness of dwellings. The cathedral’s admirers are shown on the northern facade: Prince Ashot and his wife Shushan, as well as Princes Grigor Supan and Dzagik. The huge cathedral was painted with frescoes, the remains of which are preserved and visible in some places. The church of Surb Grigor Lusavorich (St. Gregory the Illuminator), built in 848, but rebuilt anew with the assistance of Syunik Tsar Smbat II in 1047, which is widespread in Armenia with an apse in the east, covered by a cylindrical arch, adjoins the south side of the main cathedral. Among the unique works of architectural and engineering art of Armenia is the “Gavazan” (Staff) erected in 904 in the courtyard, near the premises of the monastery. This is an octagonal, composed of small stones, column, 8 meters high, ending with an ornamented cornice, above which the khachkar rises. Under the influence of seismic vibrations of the soil, or even from a simple touch of a human hand, the column, due to the articulation, bends and returns to its original position. Examples of Armenian architecture that are rare in their location include the gateway church of Surb Astvatsatsin (Holy Virgin) built in 1087, representing a small domed hall with niches on all but the western facades with a pointed umbrella ceiling. In 1171, the monastery was attacked and sacked by the Seljuk Turks, who put more than ten thousand manuscripts to fire. At the end of the XIII century. the monastery is experiencing an unprecedented flowering. About 1000 inhabitants live in it: students of the monastery school, teachers, miniature painters of the painting workshop, copyists of the scriptorium, etc. In 1286, Catholicos of the Pan-Armenian Kostandin II Katuketsi ordained Stepanos Orbelian, the head priest of Noravank monastery, in the city of Sis, the metropolitan of Noravanank, dioceses. Two bishoprics, united in one hand, Tatevivank and Noravank led and led the successful struggle of the Armenian Church against the Uniates-supporters of the Catholic Church. In the years 1390-1435. at the monastery, Tatev University operated - the largest center of philosophical and scientific thought of medieval Armenia. The university was headed by Hovhann Vorotnetsi and Grigor Tatevatsi, who, as philosophers, educators, were also outstanding public figures, uniting the best intellectual forces of the Armenian people around the university. It was the Tatev graduates in 1441 who organized and transferred the throne of the Catholicos of All Armenia from Cilicia, on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, to the Ararat Valley - the heart of Eastern Armenia, to the Holy See of Etchmiadzin. Around these church buildings are also capitally built in the 17-18 centuries. abbot's chambers, a bell tower, a vaulted refectory with a kitchen, pantries, housing and other office premises.
