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Chapter “Architecture of Armenia” of the book “The General History of Architecture. Volume I. Architecture ancient world". Author: О.X. Khalpakhchyan; edited by O.Kh. Khalpakhchna (responsible editors), E.D. Kvitnitskaya, V.V. Pavlova, A.M. Pribytkova. Moscow, Stroyizdat, 1970

Armenia is a mountainous country located between the Asia Minor and Iranian plateaus. The Armenian people was formed as a result of a long process of merging of the tribal unions of the Hays, Armens, Urartians, etc., which proceeded especially intensively after the fall of the state of Urartu. Founded in 624 BC the Armenian state was incorporated in 520 BC. e. into the Persian state of the Achaemenids, and in 323 BC. e. - the Hellenistic state of the Seleucids. The struggle of Rome against the Seleucids favored the restoration of the Armenian kingdoms - Ayrarat, Lesser Armenia, Sophene and Armenia. The Ayrarat kings from the Artashesid dynasty (189 BC - 1 AD) managed to unite the Armenian lands into a single monarchy - Great Armenia, which under Tigran II (95-55 BC) reached the highest development and was considered one of the most powerful and advanced countries.

Under the Artashesids, Armenia was a military-slave-owning state. A large population spoke the common Armenian language and professed a single pagan religion. The king and the high priest were invested with unlimited power. The bdeshkhs, the hereditary rulers of the outlying lands, had great rights.

The natural wealth of the country contributed to the development of agriculture, crafts and trade. The trade routes between East and West passing through Armenia favored not only the cultural upsurge, but also the construction of cities. The main population developed an original local culture based on ancient traditions. In the cities and among the slave owners, the Armenian Hellenistic culture, generated by close contact with the ancient states, spread.

The oldest writings in Armenia were Aramaic (the inscriptions of Artashes I on boundary stones), and from the 1st century. BC e. - Greek signs. On the Greek literary works were written and inscriptions were carved on structures, for example, the fortress walls of Tigranakert (Fig. 38) and Garni. The most ancient Armenian writing was used for writing chronicles and temple books.

Theatrical art reached a high level. In the cities (Artashat, Tigranakert) theatrical buildings were erected, in which the works of Greek and Armenian authors were staged.

Statues of pagan gods and deified kings were widespread (Fig. 39). The height of bronze statues reached 6-7 m. In monumental architecture, bas-reliefs were common, they depicted a plant-geometric ornament (Fig. 40), less often animals.

Architecture has reached a high level of development.

In mass construction in small fortifications, small, roughly chipped stone and brick were used. The walls were laid with clay and lime mortar. Monumental structures were made of large basalt squares (in the fortress wall of Garni they reach 5-6 tons of weight; Fig. 41, left). The squares were laid dry, flat and fastened with iron staples filled with lead ( Garni) or iron staples in the form of a dovetail (Armavir). The pillars of the columns and the lintel stones were connected with pyrons. The ceilings of conventional structures are flat on wooden beams with clay-adobe coating, which had a large slope in areas with significant precipitation. In capital buildings, rafters were used for pitched tiled roofs. Stone slab ceilings, arches and vaults made of stone on lime mortar (Garni) were also practiced.

The layout of the cities of the first Armenian kingdoms of the 6th-4th centuries. BC e. not known. From the description of the Greek author Xenophon, who saw in 401 BC. e. there is a vast settlement in Armenia, it follows that it consisted of the castle of the local ruler and the fortified houses of the townspeople surrounding it.

During the Artashesid dynasty and the first kings from the Arshakid dynasty in Armenia from the 3rd century. BC e. according to the 2nd century AD e. about 20 large and small cities were founded. In most cases, they were placed in the most important economic and strategic points, on the site of the Urartian settlements. For example, one of the Armenian capitals, Armavir, arose at the beginning of the 6th century. BC e. after the fall of the state of Urartu on the site of the Urartian city of Argishtikhinili. In this regard, the structure of the cities reflected both the Urartian and the Hellenistic traditions that prevailed at that time, from the combination of which the distinctive features of the urban planning of Armenia were subsequently developed.

The cities of Armavir (3rd century BC), Yervandashat (late 2nd century BC), Artashat (170-160 BC), Tigranakert (77 BC) ) and others had a clear plan structure. From the descriptions of historians - the Greek Plutarch and Strabo and the Armenian Movses Khorenatsi - we can conclude that the cities consisted of a citadel and a settlement. The citadel occupied a hill dominating the city and its surrounding territory and, depending on the relief, was placed on the edge (Artashat) or in the center (Tigranakert, Vagharshapat) of the city.

The cities built on the mountainous terrain had a random configuration of the plan. The outlines of the plain cities were regular. The structure of the street network of both types of cities has not been elucidated. It can be assumed that the cities founded on the site of ancient settlements (Armavir, Vagharshapat) had less pronounced features of Hellenistic urban planning than those built in new territories (Tigranakert).

Urban settlements had developed fortifications. The citadel was combined with the fortifications of the city into a single defensive system. The perimeter of the city and the citadel was surrounded by powerful walls and towers. The system of fortifications included a secret (underground) passage for evacuation when the fortress was captured, as well as for water intake in case of damage to the water supply. According to Movses Khorenatsi, a secret passage in the Yervandashat citadel was arranged under the palace stairs.

The relief features that strengthen the defense of the city (steep slopes, water lines) were used to the maximum. The development of military technology also changed the nature of the fortifications. In contrast to the Urartian time, water ditches and ramparts were arranged in front of the walls as an obstacle to siege machines. At the same time, the role of towers also increased, the main purpose of which was to conduct not frontal, but flank fire, which was most effective during an assault supported by siege engines. The towers began to be significantly extended beyond the walls, brought closer together and made higher (Fig. 41, right).

Cities were erected on a cape jutting into a river bend or formed by the confluence of rivers, which facilitated defense and provided the population with water. According to the description of Movses Khorenatsi, during the construction of Yervandashat on a rocky hill, ditches were cut in many places inside the fortress to take water to the level of the Arak River.

Within the boundaries of the settlement, the cape was surrounded by walls along the coast, in front of which a moat and a rampart were arranged from the side of the plain. So it was fortified, according to Strabo's description, Artashat, built according to a predetermined plan (according to legend, the choice of location was made on the advice of Hannibal). The city was considered the largest cultural and economic center of Armenia in the 2nd century BC. Strabo calls it a beautifully built royal city, and Plutarch calls it a large and very beautiful city, the Armenian Carthage. It had a luxurious royal palace, outstanding religious temples, tombs, theaters, craft and trade buildings.

Much attention was paid to the improvement of the urban area. Steep reliefs were softened by the construction of terraces with stone retaining walls, as, for example, in Armavir. The main streets and squares were paved, water mains were laid.

Capital Tigranakert, founded by Tigran II, was built at a rapid pace. Construction was carried out according to plan with the active participation of the population. The city was located in a naturally fortified mountainous place. The number of inhabitants exceeded 100 thousand. According to Strabo and Appian, most of them were resettled from the “12 Hellenistic cities” conquered in Cappadocia and Cilicia. Tigranakert, one of the largest cities in the world at that time (some scholars compare it with Nineveh and Babylon, others with advanced Hellenistic cities), was notable for its landscaping and had powerful defensive structures (Fig. 42). According to Appian, the city walls had a height of 50 cubits (about 26 m) and were so wide that they housed warehouses and royal stables. The impregnability of the walls was strengthened by the frequently erected towers, a water moat and an earthen rampart.

Vagharshapat (now Etchmiadzin), located on the Ararat plain, had similar fortifications, founded as the new capital of Armenia by King Vagharshak (117-140), on the site of Vardkesavan, dating back to the 3rd-2nd centuries. BC e.

In addition to city fortifications, fortresses and castles were erected, which simultaneously served as country residences. Of these, the Yervandakert villa (late III - early II century BC) near Yervandashat, the Garni fortress (III-II centuries BC), the country palace of Tigran II (I century BC) are known. ) near Tigranakert.

Served as the summer residence of the Arshakid kings Garni fortress It was founded on the site of a Cyclopean fortress, on a high triangular cape, surrounded by the Azat River from two long sides (Fig. 43). Deep, in some places up to 150 m, the gorge with steep slopes served as a natural boundary. The walls were erected only from the side facing the plain. The length of the wall was at least 314 m, with a thickness of 2.07-2.08 m. -32 m) spaced rectangular towers (6 x 6.2 - 6.7 m), built of large basalt blocks (Fig. 44). The only narrow (2.16 m) arched gates were placed between two adjacent towers.

Significant progress was made in the construction of roads and bridges. In particular, Tigran II built a highway connecting Artashat and the Ararat valley with Tigranakert.

According to Herodotus, Strabo and Pliny the Elder, the roads of Armenia were notable for their improvement. The highways were designed for double-track wheeled traffic. The roads were paved with stone slabs laid over a leveled base. With a steep relief, they cut through the rocks, and trenches broke through in the hills. Inns were erected on long hauls.

Bridges were built temporary and permanent. There were three bridges near Artashat: across the water moat, across the Metsamor River (called Taperakan) and across the Arak River, of which the last two were made of stone. A four-span bridge across the Arpa River near the village of Areni was built from cleanly hewn basalt stones fastened with lead-filled metal brackets.

The features of the Hellenistic culture were also clearly manifested in the architecture of various buildings. The ruins of ancient settlements and fragments of structures (Fig. 45) testify to the spread in Armenia of types of buildings characteristic of antiquity - temples, sanctuaries, theaters, etc.

An idea of ​​civil buildings can be compiled from literary information and from some few examples.

Rural houses are described by Xenophon in Anabasis. They were dugouts with an upper passage widened downwards. They went down the stairs there, and special corridors were dug for the cattle. Such a dwelling was discovered near Leninakan. It is close to the medieval type of dwelling that existed in Armenia, called tun or glhatun, that is, a house with a head. Usually it was erected on a slope, deepening one side into the ground. Glkhatun is square or rectangular in plan. Its walls were made of torn stone on clay mortar. Mandatory elements: hearth or tonir (stove, which is a barrel-shaped jug buried in the ground), wall niches of various sizes and a ceiling made of wooden beams laid in the form of a truncated square or polyhedral prism (with a light-smoke hole), towering above the building in the form of a small mound. Depending on the size of the room and the quality of the wall masonry, the ceiling rests on wall or free-standing wooden pillars on stone bases, the number and location of which determines the compositional features of the interior. The door - one for people and livestock - is placed in one of the corners of the front facade. In winter, when the door was covered with snow, people got into the dwelling through the light-smoke hole along the stairs.

In the urban dwelling of the Armenians, apparently, the compositional features of the Urartian urban residential buildings were developed. According to fragmentary data of historians, the cities of Artashat, Yervandashat, Armavir, Arshamashat and especially Tigranakert were built according to all urban planning rules and had comfortable multi-storey dwellings. The central part of the city was occupied by the capital houses of merchants and artisans, whose occupations were reflected in the nature and type of their dwellings. Associated with agriculture, most of the urban population lived on the outskirts and in the suburbs, in houses that had much in common with rural housing.

What were the palaces of the nobility in the capitals of Armenia of the Hellenistic period is not known. Taking into account the laudatory reviews of ancient authors about these cities, it must be assumed that the residences of the rulers were among the best urban structures. The palace of the Yervandashat citadel, named by the Armenian historian of the 5th c. Favstos Buzand (Favst Byzantine) "big city", according to the description of Movses Khorenatsi, had high walls with copper gates and iron stairs. One must think that the palaces of the rulers of that time, located in the citadel, like the Urartian palaces (Erebuni, Teishebaini), were a complex of premises united in one building.

Country villas and summer residences, surrounded by gardens, ponds with fish and vast forests with wild animals for hunting, had a different character. According to Movses Khorenatsi, the royal villa Yervandakert consisted of disparate, cheerful-looking, bright, elegant and incomparable buildings located among fragrant flower beds. Obviously, the country palace of Tigran II near Tigranakert and mentioned by Favstos Buzand under the name Tiknuni, the palace of King Khosrov II (330-338) near Dvin, in the oak forest of the Azat River valley, obviously belonged to the Yervandakert type.

47. Garni. Palace tower: general view and plan

Movses Khorenatsi's true description of the architectural appearance of Yervandakert is also applicable to the royal summer residence in the Garni fortress. The palace complex consisted of separate buildings. To date, the remains of the temple, the main and columned halls, residential building and baths have been excavated. They were located around a spacious square in the southern part of the fortress, remote from the gates, where they formed a kind of ensemble (Fig. 46).

The top of the cape was occupied by a temple facing the square with its main northern facade. Taking into account the size of the temple and its location on the axis passing through the gates of the fortress, it can be assumed that it served as the main architectural accent of the ensemble.

From the west of the temple, at the edge of the cliff, there was a front hall. Its basement was an elongated vaulted room (12.5 x 22.5 m) with six square pillars on the longitudinal axis. The walls were divided by pilasters placed along the axis of the pillars, between which there were arched niches. In the 7th century over the ruins of the hall was built round christian temple.

From the north, a residential building adjoined the hall, the basement of which included a small winery. The traces of pink and red coloring of the basements preserved on the plaster give grounds to assume the richness of the decoration of the residential and ceremonial chambers of the palace.

On the northern side of the square, at an angle to the residential building, there was a palace bath. The building, built of torn stone with lime mortar, included at least five rooms, of which four had apses at the ends (Fig. 47). In some apses with a lower floor level, there were probably small pools. Judging by the design features of the walls that survived up to a height of 2-2.5 m, the first apsidal room from the east served as a dressing room, the second served as a bathing hall with cold, the third with warm, and the fourth with hot water. The latter also housed a water tank with a furnace compartment in the basement. The floors were made of two layers of baked bricks (64 x 66 x 6 and 64 x 66 x 4 cm) covered with polished knock (7 cm thick). The floors rested on brick columns (from 19 to 25 cm in diameter) and were heated from below by hot air with smoke coming from the firebox (Fig. 47). Some idea of ​​the interior decoration is given by the floors that survived in some rooms with the remains of stone mosaics. Of particular interest is the floor mosaic of the cloakroom, dating back to the 3rd-4th century BC. Her story is taken from Greek mythology and contains images of the sea, fish, nereids, ichthinocentaurs, and the gods of the Ocean and Talas against a greenish background (Fig. 48). An interesting inscription on the mosaic reads: "Receiving nothing, we worked."

The Garni bath in its composition, the presence of several bathing halls with different temperatures and heating of the hypocaust system, has much in common with the ancient baths of Syria and Asia Minor, especially with the baths in Mtskheta-Armazi (II-III centuries) in Georgia, in Dura-Europos and in Antioch on the Orontes (4th century).

Of interest are the remains of a rectangular room (6.3 x 9.75 m) located near the eastern fortress wall, dating back to the 3rd-4th centuries. (Fig. 49). Its wooden ceiling rested on two internal wooden pillars (diameter 31 cm) with stone bases. A similar composition of the building with internal pillars is also characteristic of the columned hall of the fortified city of Bagineti near Mtskheta (Georgia).

The religious buildings of Armenia were dedicated to pagan deities who received Greek names under Tigran II. There were temples in many cities and settlements, where they were erected either in the form of separate buildings or in the form of large complexes. Among the latter, the temples of Ashtishat and Bagrevand were the most famous. After the adoption of Christianity at the turn of the 3rd-4th centuries, almost all pagan temples were destroyed. Judging by the information of the Armenian historians Agatangeos (Agafangel) and Zenob Glak, and by the only surviving example - the temple in Garni (second half of the 1st century), pagan temples were rectangular stone buildings.

50. Garni. Pagan temple, second half of the 1st c. General form from the northwest, plan and northern facade

51. Garni. Pagan temple. The capital of the intermediate column, the corner of the pediment and the head of a lion on the cornice

Temple in Garni built from blocks of pure hewn basalt. Stones, some more than 4 m long and weighing up to 5 tons, are laid dry and fastened with brackets and pyrons. The style of the temple, a six-column peripter, is close to similar monuments of Asia Minor (Termes, Sagala, Pergamon), Syria (Baalbek) and Rome (Fig. 50). It is made in Hellenistic architectural forms, but differs local features details and decor.

The temple stood on a high podium (with an area of ​​11.82 x 16.02 m, not counting the stairs) with a two-stage base. A wide staircase with nine high steps led to the podium, enclosed between the side walls, on the ends of which there were bas-reliefs of kneeling figures with raised arms (Fig. 51); such a sculptural motif is known from the monuments of the Eastern Roman provinces (for example, Niha in Syria, 2nd century BC). In front of the rectangular cella (5.14 x 7.29 m) covered with a semicircular vault, there was a shallow pronaos with antae and an entrance decorated with a rich casing. The small size of the cella indicates that it contained a statue of a deity, possibly the sun god Mithra, and the cult action was performed in the pronaos.

The bases of the columns of the temple are close to Attic in their forms, the trunks are smooth, the Ionic capitals with richly traced volutes and ionics are decorated with leafy ornaments, different in all 24 columns. The richly ornamented entablature is distinguished by a significant extension of the upper part of the architrave and frieze. A similar technique is also found in the monuments of Syria (II century) and Italy (IV century). The gooseneck of the cornice is decorated with lion heads and acanthus leaves; gable is smooth. The ceilings of the portico and the bypass of the temple of Garni were decorated with octagonal and diamond-shaped ornamented caissons, analogies to which are found in the monuments of Syria. The high quality of the basalt carving testifies to the first-class work of the Armenian craftsmen who erected the buildings of Armavir, Yervandashat, Garni, etc. Their participation is especially evident in the development of details: a variety of ornamental motifs, the presence of samples of local flora in ornamentation (flowers, walnut leaves, grapes, pomegranates) , manner of execution and planar carving.

Described architectural features and the richness of the ornamental decoration of the temple in Garni testify to its leading role in the ensemble of the palace square. This is confirmed by the composition of the temple, designed to contrast the horizontal divisions of the podium with the verticals of the columns, clearly outlined against the sky, as well as the isolated location of the building, which created the possibility of its perception from different (far and near) points of view.

Architectural monuments of the slave-owning period of Armenia testify to high level development of architecture. Thanks to cultural ties with the Hellenistic world, the architecture of Armenia received a new direction in its development, during which favorable conditions were created for the formation of a remarkable architecture of the feudal period.

The temple architecture of Armenia deserves special attention. Armenia is the country that was the first to adopt Christianity as the 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, moreover, Russian. Their characteristic feature is a cone-shaped dome.

Haghpat Monastery. X-XIII centuries - With. Haghpat. This is a functioning monastery in the village of the same name Haghpat in northern Armenia, 10 km from the city of Alaverdi. The Haghpat Monastery is a significant monument of urban planning of medieval Armenia, distinguished by the unity and compactness of the asymmetric layout, a beautiful silhouette on the mountainous terrain. Haghpat and Sanahin monasteries were included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1996.

Monastery Kobayr. XII-XIII centuries - With. Kober Kayaran. This is a medieval Armenian monastery. Located near the city of Tumanyan, Lori region of Armenia.

Monastery and fortress of Akhtala. 13th century - With. Akhtala. Monastery and fortress on a small plateau in the gorge of the Depet River (currently an urban-type settlement in the Lori region of Armenia). In the X century. The fortress of Ptgavank (Akhtala) became the most important strategic point of the Kyurikyan-Bagratid kingdom.

Church complex Sanahin. X-XII centuries -G. Alaverdi (v. Sanahin). 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 land, the number of brethren in the X-XI centuries. reached 300-500 people, among whom were scientists, cultural figures.

Odzun Monastery. 6th century - With. Odzun. It is located in the east of Gavar Tashir of the historical province of Gugark. The domed basilica of the Odzun Monastery, presumably dating back to the 6th century, has been preserved in the village. The church is located on the central hill of the village and is visible from almost anywhere in it.

Church of St. John in Ardvi, 17th century.

Goshavank, XII-XIII centuries - c. Gosh. Armenian medieval monastery complex in the Varazhnunik gavar of the historical province of Ayrarat. One of the largest cultural, educational and religious centers of medieval Armenia. The sources mention it as a seminary, a university, etc. Prominent cultural figures of Armenia studied and lived here.

Marmashen Monastery, X c. - With. Vahramaberd. Located 10 km northwest of the city of Gyumri in the village of the same name Marmashen. It was built in the X-XIII centuries in the Shirak Gavar of the Ayrarat province. The Marmashen Monastery consists of three places of worship. main temple located in the center of the courtyard and is the largest building, it was built of red brick and is a domed hall.

Karmravor Church, 7th century. The temple was built by priests Gregory and Manas. It is a small cruciform building with an octagonal drum on the roof.

Gayane, 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 on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Tatev Monastery, 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 Tatevi Anapat hermitage, the Wings of Tatev cable car, the Satani Kamurj natural bridge, the Satani Kamurj cave and many other attractions.

Tanaat Monastery, 5th c. - With. Aravus. It is located in the Vayots Dzor region, on a picturesque mountain range. The path leading to it is replete with numerous turns with sharp elevation changes. The monastery complex consists of two churches, a cemetery and the ruins of the ancient Gladzor University. It is composed of deep blue basalt, and therefore it is often called the "Black Monastery".

Tsakhats Kar, X-XI centuries - With. Artabuink.

Church of Zorats (XIV century).

Monastery of Arates. VII century.

Church of St. Karapet. Yeghegis.

Sevanavank Monastery. 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, who built their cells and a chapel here. Due to the favorable position of the island, their number increased, and the active construction of the monastery began. To build walls in the rock around the island, a ledge was cut down, on which large stone blocks were laid. The wall encircled the island, and above it was built a watchtower with a gate. Then the monks built three churches, cells and outbuildings.

Hayravank Monastery. IX century. It is located near the village of Hayravank, on the western shore of Lake Sevan, Gegharkunik region of Armenia.

Geghard Monastery, XII-XIII centuries - With. Geghard. Geghard (literally - "spear") - a monastery complex, a unique architectural structure in Kotayk region, Armenia. It is located in the gorge of the mountain river Goght (the right side of the Azat River), about 40 km southeast of Yerevan. Listed by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage site.

Church of Katoghike, XII century, Yerevan.

On the ancient Armenian land, lovers of antiquity and art will find a great variety of monuments and attractions: man-made artifacts of primitive craftsmen and unique creations of medieval architects; pagan sanctuaries; ancient memorial objects of Christianity and Urartian fortresses; castles and cave cities hidden high in the mountains; gorge-gallery, preserved collections of bas-reliefs; khachkars covered with fine carvings and unique frescoes in dilapidated monasteries. Armenia is often called "an open-air museum".

Armenian monastery Khor Virap located near the border with Turkey. The monastery is famous for its location at the foot of the biblical Mount Ararat, where, according to legend, the righteous Noah found himself on the ark after the Flood.

According to legend, the king of Armenia Trdat III after returning to Armenia in 287 kept St. Gregory the Illuminator in prison for confessing Christianity. Gregory healed Tiridates of insanity, after which he was baptized in 301 and declared Christianity the state religion. Subsequently, over the underground prison, in which St. Gregory the Illuminator spent about fifteen years, the monastery of Khor Virap (“deep dungeon”) was erected.

On the site of the ancient Armenian capital Artashat, founded by King Artashes I around 180 BC, there is Khor Virap Hill. The entrance to the underground prison is located in the chapel of St. Gregory, built in 1661. The underground prison is three to six meters deep. On the territory of Khor Virap there is also the Church of Our Lady.

Etchmiadzin Monastery(or "The Descent of the Only Begotten") of the Armenian Apostolic Church is located in the Armavir region, in the city of Vagharshapat. From 303 to 484 and since 1441, the throne of the Supreme Patriarch of the Catholicos of All Armenians has been in the monastery. Included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The structure of the ancient monastery complex includes Etchmiadzin Cathedral - the oldest Christian church in the world, theological educational institutions. The place for the construction of the cathedral to Gregory the Illuminator was indicated by Jesus Christ himself, from where the name came from. After the introduction of Christianity in the country in 303, a wooden cathedral, and in the fifth, seventh centuries rebuilt in stone.

The interior of the cathedral is decorated with frescoes made in the 17th-18th centuries (Hovnatan Nagash), at the end of the 18th century (H. Hovnatanyan). The cathedral houses a museum (founded in 1955), which houses a collection of medieval arts and crafts.

In Etchmiadzin there is the temple of St. Hripsime, the domed basilica of Gayane with a three-arched gavit, and the church of Shokagat. The three-tiered bell tower was erected in 1653-1658. In the 18th century, six-column rotundas appeared on three sides. The monastery complex includes a refectory (17th century), a hotel (18th century), the house of the Catholicos (18th century), a school (1813), a stone pond (1846) and other buildings.

The environs of Echmiadzin in 1827 were ruined by the Kyzylbash commander Gassan Khan. In the same year, the ringing of bells greeted Field Marshal I.F. Paskevich, who unblocked the monastery. Again, the Etchmiadzin Monastery was saved during the Persian campaign by General Krasovsky in August 1827. According to the Turkmanchay Treaty in 1828, Echmiadzin was included in the Russian Empire.

In the cathedral in 1869, a sacristy was added on the east side to store precious relics and church utensils.

In 1903, a decree was issued according to which all real estate, capital belonging to spiritual institutions and the Armenian Church were transferred to the state. Thanks to the mass protest campaign of the Armenian people, in 1905 Nicholas II signed a decree on the return of confiscated property. Armenian Church; reopening national schools.

In 1915, the brethren of the Etchmiadzin Monastery provided selfless assistance to refugees from Western Armenia.

During the period Soviet power public buildings and numerous residential buildings were built in Etchmiadzin. In 1965, a monument to the victims of the Genocide of 1915-1922 was erected.

Near Yerevan and Vagharshapat is located Zvartnots- a temple of early medieval Armenian architecture. From the ancient Armenian “Zvartnots” means “Temple of Vigilant Angels”. Since 2000, the ruins of the temple and the area around it have been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The temple was built in 640-650 under the Catholicos Nerses III the Builder, who planned to move the residence from Dvin to Vagharshapat. The Byzantine emperor Constans II, who wished to build the same one in Constantinople, attended the consecration ceremony of the colossal temple. Due to the weakness of the nodes of the supports of the upper tier, the temple collapsed in the tenth century during an earthquake. Excavations in 1901-1907 discovered the ruins of Zvartnots. To date, almost the entire first tier has been reconstructed.

According to the reconstruction of T. Toramanian, the temple was a round domed three-tiered structure. A cross is inscribed at the base of the circle, six columns in a semicircle form three wings, the eastern wing is an apse - it was a blank wall covered with mosaics and frescoes. The altar apse has a high elevation, in front is a baptismal font, on one side is a pulpit. A square room, probably a sacristy, adjoined behind. From it, they climbed the stairs to the corridor of the first tier.

The facades of the temple were decorated with arcades, carvings, relief plates with ornaments, bunches of grapes and pomegranates. The columns of Zvartnots were crowned with massive capitals with images of crosses and eagles. On the southwestern side of the temple are the ruins of the dwellings of Nerses III, patriarchal palace, wine press.

The influence of Zvartnots is clearly reflected in the monuments of the second half of the seventh century - temples in Zoravor, Aruch, Yeghvard, Talin; Church of the Shepherd and the Savior in Ani. Zvartnots repeat the temples of Gagikashen in Ani and Banak, the church in the village of Lekit.

Mashtots Hayrapet Church located in the village of Garni, Kotai region. The Church of Mashtots Patriarch was built of tufa on the site of a pagan sanctuary in the 12th century.

To the right of the entrance there is a carved stone depicting birds, which is inextricably linked with the past pagan sanctuary at this place. Small church. Various ornaments are carved on the facade, entrance, dome. Near the temple - as far as khachkars. In addition to the church of Mashtots Hayrapet, in the village of Garni there is an Armenian pagan temple, the Church of the Holy Mother of God, the remains of the temple of Manuk Tukh, the remains of the church of the fourth century, the sanctuary of Queen Katranide, the church of St. Sergius. Not far away, in the Khosrov Reserve, there is the monastery of Havuts Tar.

Pagan Temple in Garni(I century AD) is located in the valley of the Azat River, 28 km from Yerevan, Kotai region. From the ruins, the temple was restored in Soviet times.

The fortress of Garni was mentioned by the ancient Roman historian Tacitus as early as the first century AD. e. in connection with the events in Armenia. It was built by the Armenian king Trdat in 76. The fortress is a vivid evidence of the centuries-old culture of Armenia in the pre-Christian period. Construction began in the second century BC and continued through antiquity and into the Middle Ages. The Armenian rulers made it impregnable. The citadel served as protection for the inhabitants from foreign invasions for more than a thousand years.

It was a favorite place of the Armenian kings: the inaccessibility and favorable climate turned Garni into a summer residence. The location of the fortress was strategically chosen extremely well. From the Urartian cuneiform it is known that the fortress was conquered by the Urartian king Argishti in the eighth century BC. e. He gathered the population of Garni as a labor force, led them towards modern Yerevan. The people were involved in the construction of the Erebuni fortress, which later became Yerevan.

The fortress of Garni is located on a triangular cape, dominating the surrounding area, it is surrounded by the Azat River, a deep gorge, steep slopes - an impregnable natural boundary. The gorge is distinguished by delightful, seemingly unnatural slopes, from the foot to the top, consisting of regular hexagonal prisms, called the “Symphony of Stones”. The rest of the fortress is protected by a powerful fortress wall with fourteen towers - an insurmountable defensive system.

The towers and fortress walls were built from huge blocks of local basalt with a blue tint, they are connected by iron brackets, filled with lead in the corners of the connection. The thickness of the fortress walls is from 2.07 m to 2.12 m, the length along the perimeter is 314.28 m. The entrance to the fortress was only through one gate, having the width of one chariot.

Historical and architectural complex of Garni located near the village with the same name. The temple of Garni is the only monument left in Armenia from the era of paganism and Hellenism.

The temple is built from blocks of smooth-hewn basalt. The building is made in Hellenistic architectural forms. Solemnity and majesty of the building are given by nine massive steps stretched along the width of the facade. Reliefs depicting naked Atlanteans standing on one knee, raising their hands and supporting altars, adorn the pylons on the sides of the stairs.

According to the composition, the temple represents a peripter - a rectangular hall with a portico, surrounded by columns from the outside. The elements of the temple are designed with the diversity inherent in local art. In the ornaments, along with variants of the acanthus leaf, there are Armenian motifs: grapes, pomegranate, flowers, hazel leaves. A shallow vestibule leads to the rectangular sanctuary; a richly ornamented architraves adorns the entrance. In a small sanctuary there was only a statue of a deity. The temple served only the king and his family.

In 1679 there was a powerful earthquake, as a result of which the temple was badly damaged. In 1966-1976 it was restored. Near the temple, some elements of the royal palace, an ancient fortress, a bath building built in the third century have been preserved. In the southern part of the fortress there was a palace complex. On the northern territory of the fortress housed the attendants and the royal army. West of the temple, on the edge of the cliff, the main hall occupied the place, a residential building adjoined it. Remains of red and pink paint have been preserved on the plaster, reminiscent of the luxurious decoration of the front and living quarters of the palace. The floors were decorated with Hellenistic mosaics.

In the 19th century, numerous scientists and travelers showed interest in the ruins of the temple: Morier, Chardin, Ker-Porter, Chantre, Shnaaze, Telfer, Smirnov, Romanov, Marr, Buniatyan, Manandyan, Trever. In 1834, the French scientist Dubois de Monpere tried to create a project for the reconstruction of the temple with little accuracy.

At the beginning of the 20th century, a small expedition led by N. Ya. Marr was engaged in archaeological work to measure the temple and discover details. The chief architect of Yerevan, Buniatyan, surveyed the temple in Garni in the early 1930s and presented a project for the reconstruction of the original appearance in 1933. Restoration work in the 1960s was entrusted to the architect A. A. Sainyan. In 1976, the Garni temple was completely restored.

Monastic ensemble of Kecharis(11-13 centuries) is located in the city of Tsakhkadzor of the Kotai region, in the gavar (“county”) of Varazhnunik of the province of Ayrarat (Ancient Armenia). Tourists can find the monastery complex on the slope of the Pambak Range, northwest of Tsaghkadzor. The complex includes four churches, two chapels, a gavit, an ancient cemetery with khachkars of the 12th-13th centuries.

Kecharis was founded by princes from the Pahlavuni family in the 11th century. Its construction lasted until the middle of the 13th century. Grigor Magistros in the monastery in 1033 built the church of St. Gregory the Illuminator. The wide dome of the church crowns a spacious vaulted hall.

A small rectangular chapel (11th century) is located between the Churches of the Sign (Surb Nshan) and St. Gregory the Illuminator. Until now, it has been preserved in a dilapidated state; it was the tomb of the founder of the monastery, Grigor Magistros Pahlavuni. Next to the chapel was the school building.

In the 12th century, the narthex of the church was built; it is considered one of the early structures of this type. To the south of the church, behind the khachkars, there is a small church of Surb Nshan (11th century), of a cross-domed type, restored in 1223.

Prince Vasak Khaghbakyan in 1203-1214 erected a third church on the territory of the monastery - Katoghike. To commemorate this event, a khachkar was erected to the east of the church. In 1220, the fourth Church of the Holy Resurrection was erected 120 meters from the buildings. The small temple has a rectangular shape and a high dome. In all four corners of the prayer hall of the church there are two-storey chapels.

The monastery in the 12th-13th centuries was a major spiritual center of Armenia, a school operated under it.

At the medieval cemetery of Kecharis, you can see the burial places of Prince Grigor Apiratyan (1099), Grand Duke Prosh (1284), architect Vetsik.

During the earthquake of 1828, the church dome was badly damaged. Restoration work in the temple was carried out in 1947-1949 and in 1995.

Armenia - the "country of stone" is open to all brave travelers who are not afraid of long journeys; ready to go down and explore a hard-to-reach gorge or climb high up a mountain. In a short period of time in a small area you can feel the course of millennia, see at the same time significant phenomena of the first millennia and the present.