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Garni Gorge

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The Garni Gorge is situated 23.3 kilometres (14.5 mi) east of Yerevan , Armenia , just below the village of the same name . The Garni Gorge is protected by law and listed as a natural monument. On a promontory above the gorge the first-century AD Temple of Garni may be seen. Before Armenia converted to Christianity in 301 AD, Greek gods were worshipped at this temple. Along the sides of the gorge are cliff walls of well-preserved basalt columns, carved out by the Goght River . This portion of the Garni Gorge is typically referred to as the "Symphony of the Stones." It is most easily reached via a road that leads left down the gorge just before reaching the temple of Garni. Another road leads to the gorge through the village, down a cobblestone road, and into the valley. Once in the valley, turning right will lead to Garni Gorge, an 11th-century medieval bridge, and the "Symphony of the Stones". Taking a left will lead along the river past a fish hatchery, up to the Khosrov Forest State Reserve , and a little further Havuts Tar Monastery.

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49-410: The ancient Geghard Monastery , a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is also within walking distance. Partially carved into the mountain, the monastery has existed since the fourth century AD. The main cathedral was built much later, in the thirteenth century. 40°07′10″N 44°43′23″E  /  40.11944°N 44.72306°E  / 40.11944; 44.72306 This Armenia location article

98-633: A gavit without columns and with arched ceilings. On the west side of the Church of the Holy Redeemer in the Sanahin Monastery complex, the gavit built in 1181 has four tall free-standing internal pillars supporting arches. The pillars and their bases are elaborately decorated. In the same complex, the gavit of the Mother of God church is a three-nave hall with lower arches and less elaborate decorations on

147-485: A gawit‘ from its foundations, with the help of amir K‘urd and the great vardapet Grigor and Christ God, with great hope... It seems that zhamatun was used to refer to new structures built more-or-less contemporaneously with the neighbouring church to serve funerary or commemorative functions, while the terms gavit referred to a space built next to older churches, covering existing ancient gravestones. " Gawit‘ " had an ancient meaning of "open courtyard" referring to

196-502: A "žamatun" appears in the 1038 dedicatory inscription of Horomos Monastery , which also is the oldest known "žamatun", built in 1038: In the year of the Armenians 487 (ie 1038), I, the šahanšah Yovannēs, son of the šahanšah Gagik , gave my vineyard located in Kołb to this church of mine, Surb-Yovannēs, which I have built in this monastery of Hoṙomos, along with this žamatun... The mention of

245-409: A goat is found at the butt of the altar stair. Men's figures are found on a khachkar left of the altar apse. The man with a staff in his right hand and in the same attitude as that of the figures on the portal may be Prince Prosh, a founder of the church. Another figure, holding a spear in the left hand, point down, and blowing an uplifted horn, is depicted almost in profile. The "Upper Zhamatun" ,

294-580: A lamb in its claws. This is likely the coat-of-arms of the Proshian Princes. The reliefs of the eastern wall are no less picturesque. The entrances to a small chapel and to Astvatsatsin church have rectangular platbands connected by two relief crosses. Cut on the portals of the chapel are sirens (fantasy harpy-like birds with women's crowned heads) and on the church walls there appear human figures with their elbows bent, wearing long attires and having nimbuses around their heads. These are probably members of

343-541: A popular place of pilgrimage for Armenian Christians over many centuries. Relics of the Apostles Andrew and John were donated in the 12th century, and pious visitors made numerous grants of land, money, manuscripts, etc., over the succeeding centuries. In one of the cave cells there lived, in the 13th century, Mkhitar Ayrivanetsi , the well-known Armenian historian. No works of applied art have survived in Geghard, except for

392-592: A series of chapels hewn into the rock dates from the mid-13th century following the purchase of the monastery by Prince Prosh Khaghbakian , vassal of the Zakarians and founder of the Proshian principality . Over a short period the Proshyans built the cave structures which brought Geghard well-merited fame — the second cave church, the family sepulcher of zhamatun Papak and Ruzukan, a hall for gatherings and studies (collapsed in

441-615: A small ecclesiastical presence, the site is still a major place of pilgrimage. The monastery was famous because of the relics that it housed. The most celebrated of these was the spear which had wounded Christ on the Cross, allegedly brought there by the Apostle Thaddeus , from which comes its present name, Geghard-avank ("the Monastery of the Spear"), first recorded in a document of 1250. This made it

490-459: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Geghard Geghard ( Armenian : Գեղարդ , meaning "spear") is a medieval monastery in the Ararat province of Armenia , being partially carved out of the adjacent mountain, surrounded by cliffs. It is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site with enhanced protection status. While the main chapel was built in 1215, the monastery complex

539-413: Is a congressional room or mausoleum added to the entrance of a church, and therefore often contiguous to its west side, in a Medieval Armenian monastery. It served as narthex (entrance to the church), mausoleum and assembly room, somewhat like the narthex or lite of a Byzantine church . As an architectural element, the gavit was distinct from the church, and built afterwards. Its first known instance

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588-492: Is a table for ritual animal offerings (matagh), and a bridge over the stream. The one- and two-storey residential and service structures situated on the perimeter of the monastery's yard were repeatedly reconstructed, sometimes from their foundations, as happened in the 17th century and in 1968–1971. It is known that most of the monks lived in cells excavated into the rock-face outside the main enceinte, which have been preserved, along with some simple oratories. The rock-faces over

637-545: Is at the Horomos Monastery , dated to 1038, when it was already called "žamatun". The term "gavit" started to replace the term zhamatum' from 1181, when it first appears in an inscription at the Sanahin Monastery . The gavit , the distinctive Armenian style of narthex, appeared in the tenth and eleventh centuries. The first structures in the 10th century were simple quadrangular buildings without columns and protected by wooden roofs, used as dynastic necropoleis. From

686-431: Is decorated, with a circular opening in the centre. The walls have relief decoration depicting animals, warriors, crosses, and floral motifs. Apart from stalactites in the shape of trefoils and quatrefoils , the decoration of Astvatsatsin church features ornaments of rosettes and various geometrical figures. The front wall of the altar dais is decorated with a pattern of squares and diamonds. A realistic representation of

735-590: The Zakarid-Mkhargrzeli family), the generals of Queen Tamar of Georgia, who took back most of Armenia from the Turks. This is the main church of the complex, and traditional in most respects. This church is built against the mountain, which is not exposed even in the interior. The plan forms an equal-armed cross, inscribed in a square and covered with a dome on a square base. In the corners there are small barrel-vaulted two-storey chapels with steps protruding from

784-524: The Zakarids , he transformed it in the Proshyans’ family monastery and mausoleum. The sepulchre and the second cave church of Astvatsatsin situated east of Avazan, were hewn in 1283, presumably by the same Galdzak, too. These are also accessed through the gavit. The " main zhamatun " is a roughly square chamber cut into the rock, with deeply cut reliefs in the walls. Of interest is a rather primitive high relief on

833-610: The 11th century in Armenia. They are very similar to the muqarnas of the Seljuk Sultan Han caravanserai in Aksaray (dated to 1229). The gavit was used for teaching and meetings, and for receiving pilgrims and visitors. The western portal differs from other portals of those times by van-shaped door bands, decorated with a fine floral pattern. The ornamentation of the tympanum consists of large flowers with petals of various shapes in

882-498: The 11th century, the first known zhamatun with a four-columned structure appears in Hoṙomos Monastery , built in 1038 by King Yovhannēs-Smbat . The vault was in the shape of an octogonal cone, and was decorated with superb reliefs. Many of the first zhamatun or gavits were located in the south of the Armenia in the region of Syunik . The type of construction changed during the twelfth and fourteenth centuries, as found in

931-619: The 13th century. At this time it was also known as the Monastery of the Seven Churches and the Monastery of the Forty Altars. All around the monastery are caves and khachkars . The monastery was defunct, the main church used to shelter the flocks of the Karapapakh nomads in winter, until resettled by a few monks from Ejmiatsin after the Russian conquest. Restored for tourist purposes but now with

980-572: The Azat River. Visiting both sites in one trip is so common that they are often referred to in unison as Garni-Geghard. The monastery was founded in the 4th century, according to tradition by Gregory the Illuminator . The site is that of a spring arising in a cave which had been sacred in pre-Christian times, hence one of the names by which it was known, Ayrivank (the Monastery of the Cave). The first monastery

1029-649: The Crucifixion , allegedly brought to Armenia by Apostle Jude, called here Thaddeus , and stored amongst many other relics. Now it is displayed in the Echmiadzin treasury. The spectacular towering cliffs surrounding the monastery are part of the Azat River gorge , and are included together with the monastery in the World Heritage Site listing. Some of the churches within the monastery complex are entirely dug out of

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1078-465: The Illuminator (formerly the Chapel of the Mother of God – St Astvatzatzin), built before 1177, stands high above the road, a hundred meters away from the entrance to the monastery. It is partly hewed in massive solid rock; its composition was, in all probability, largely influenced by the shape of the cave which existed there. The chapel, rectangular in plan and having a horseshoe-shaped apse, is adjoined, from

1127-451: The centre support a roof of stone with a hole in the centre to admit light. The peripheral spaces resulting from the location of the columns are variously roofed, whilst the central space is crowned by a dome with stalactites , the best example of this technique anywhere in Armenia. This style of "stalactite vault" with a central hole for natural light is thought to have been derived from the muqarnas of Islamic architecture , starting from

1176-443: The cliff rocks, others are little more than caves, while others are elaborate structures, with both architecturally complex walled sections and rooms deep inside the cliff. The combination, together with numerous engraved and free-standing khachkars is a unique sight, being one of the most frequented tourist destinations in Armenia. Most visitors to Geghard also choose to visit the nearby pagan Temple of Garni , located further down

1225-410: The construction of the architect for the caves. It is entirely dug out of the rock and has an equal-armed cruciform plan. The interior is lined by two crossed arches with a central stalactite dome. An inscription records that it was the work of the architect Galdzak, who also constructed the other rock-cut church and the jhamatuns within a period of some forty years. His name is inscribed at the base of

1274-476: The east and from the northeast, by passages and annexes hewed at various levels and even one on top of another. Traces of plaster with remnants of dark frescoes indicate there were murals inside the chapel. Khachkars with various ornaments are inserted into the exterior walls and hewn on the adjacent rock surfaces. [REDACTED] [REDACTED] Zhamatun A gavit ( Armenian : գավիթ ; gawit’) or zhamatun (Armenian: ժամատուն; žamatun )

1323-422: The entrances ornamented with carvings. There are many often richly ornamented khachkars cut on rock surfaces and on the walls of the structures or put up on the grounds of Geghard in memory of a deceased or in commemoration of someone's donation to the monastery. Though there are inscriptions dating to the 1160s, the main church "Kathoghike" was built in 1215 under the auspices of the brothers Zakare and Ivane (of

1372-509: The existing space around old churches where the graves of the nobility were already placed, while žami tun means “house of hours” in Armenian, " zam " designating a time of the day dedicated to prayer. The earliest style of gavit consists of an oblong vault supported by double arches, with an erdik (lantern or oculus ) center, and adorned with eight decorated slabs, as seen in the earliest known gavit at Horomos dated 1038. In later types

1421-407: The graceful shape of stalactites which also decorate the capitals of the half-columns and the conch of the altar apse. The decoration of the southern wall is most interesting compositionally. Carved on it are small triple arches with conchs of various shapes, connected at the top and at the bottom by a complicated and finely carved floral ornament. After Prosh Khaghbakian acquired the monastery from

1470-412: The hillside. Right before the entrance are some shallow shelves in the cliff onto which people try to throw pebbles in order to make their wish come true. Just inside the entrance to the compound are the 12th–13th century ramparts protecting three sides of the complex, and the cliffs behind protect the fourth. Walking across the complex will take one to the secondary entrance on the east, outside of which

1519-545: The interlaced branches and oblong leaves. The first cave chamber , Avazan (basin), situated north-west of the vestry, was hewn in the 1240s in an ancient cave with a spring. It was built during the reign of Avag (died in 1250), son of Ivane and nephew of the Amirspasalar (Commander in chief) of the Zakarid army, nicknamed "Long Arm" ( Zakare II Zakarian ). There is an inscription "Remember Archimandrite Galdzag" , recording

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1568-410: The legendary spear ( geghard ). The shaft has a diamond-shaped plate attached to its end; a Greek cross with flared ends is cut through the plate. A special case was made for it in 1687, now kept in the museum of Echmiadzin monastery. The gilded silver case is an ordinary handicraft article of 17th-century Armenia. Today the monastery complex is located at the end of the paved road, and the walk up from

1617-415: The magnificent structures of the monastery. Earthquakes also did it no small damage. Though there are inscriptions dating to the 1160s, the main church was built in 1215 under the auspices of the brothers Zakare and Ivane , the Zakarid generals of Queen Tamar of Georgia, who took back most of Armenia from the Turks. The gavit, partly free-standing, partly carved in the cliff, dates to before 1225, and

1666-520: The middle of the 20th century) and numerous cells. The chamber reached from the North East of the gavit became Prince Prosh Khaghbakian ’s tomb in 1283. The adjacent chamber has carved in the rock the arms of the Proshian family , including an eagle with a lamb in its claws. A stairway W of the gavit leads up to a funerary chamber carved out in 1288 for Papak Proshian and his wife Ruzukan. The Proshyan princes provided Geghard with an irrigation system in

1715-505: The monasteries of Saghmosavank of Haritchavank, or Hovhannavank Monastery. They changed again in the late thirteenth century as can be seen in monasteries such as Gandzasar , and gradually ceased to be built in the late Middle Ages. The general structure of the gavit, with its nine-bayed plan is typical of the nine-bayed plan of mosques from the Abassid period onward, which can be seen from Spain to Central Asia . The first mention of

1764-400: The northern wall, above the archways. In the center, there is a ram's head with a chain in its jaws; the chain is wound around the necks of two lions with their heads turned to the onlooker. Instead of the tail tufts there are heads of upward looking dragons — symbolic images gong all the way back to heathen times. Between the lions and below the chain there is an eagle with half-spread wings and

1813-407: The parking lot is lined with women selling sweet bread, sheets of dried fruit (fruit lavash), sweet sujukh (grape molasses covered strings of walnuts) and various souvenirs. A group of musicians usually plays for a few seconds as visitors approach, perhaps willing to play longer for money. At the approach to the main entrance on the west there are small caves, chapels, carvings and constructions on

1862-434: The portal. Above the portal is carved a lion attacking an ox, symbolizing the prince's power. The arched top of the arcature of the cupola's drum has detailed reliefs showing birds, human masks, animals heads, various rosettes and jars. West of the main temple there is a rock-attached vestry, in Armenian gavit (Latin narthex ) built between 1215 and 1225, linked to the main church. Four massive free-standing columns in

1911-467: The princely family who had these structures built. In its floor there are burial vaults. The rock-cut tomb gives access to the second rock-cut church, the "Chapel of the Proshians" . This church is known from an inscription to have been built in 1283, the donation of Prince Prosh. It is cruciform in plan. The corners are curved and the drum is lined with semi-columns alternating with blind windows. The dome

1960-464: The southern side of the corridor leading to this jhamatun, numerous crosses are cut. The columns hewn in solid rock support rather low semicircular arches fitted into trapeziform frames which, forming a square in the plan, serve as a foundation for the spherical cupola above them with a light opening in its zenith. A hole in the back right corner gives a view of the tomb downstairs. The acoustics in this chamber are extraordinary. The chapel of S. Gregory

2009-408: The tent decorated with reliefs showing pomegranates. The main rectangular space of the church is crowned with a tent and complicated with an altar apse and two deep niches, which gave the interior an incomplete cross-cupola shape. Two pairs of intersecting pointed arches, forming the base of the tent, rest on the half-columns of the walls. Just as in the vestry, the inner surface of the tent is hewn in

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2058-419: The term gavit for such buildings appears for the first time more than a century later in 1181 in the dedicatory inscription at the Sanahin Monastery by Abbot Yovhannēs: In the year 630 (ie 1181 CE), at the time of the victorious king Georg , and amirspasalar Sargis and his sons Zak‘arē and Iwanē , and amira K‘urd , I, Yovannēs, Abbot of the holy monastery (re)built this once existing church and

2107-425: The vault would often be decorated with muqarnas stalactite designs. This early type of muqarnas vault used cut stone in a way similar to that of Anatolian Seljuk architecture , different from the typical Armenian vault construction, which used thin stone facing on mortared rubble. This form was replaced by a square room with four columns, divided into nine sections with a dome in the center. The muqarnas motif

2156-459: The wall. The internal walls have many inscriptions recording donations. The southern facade of the Katoghike has a portal with fine carvings. The tympanum is decorated with a representation of trees with pomegranates hanging from their branches, and of leaves intertwining with grapes. The pictures of doves are placed between the arch and the outside frame; the doves’ heads are turned to the axis of

2205-424: The whole area bear elaborate crosses (khatchkar) carved in relief. More than twenty spaces, varying in shape and size, were carved, at different levels, in solid rock massifs surrounding the main cave structures. Those in the western part of the complex were for service purposes, and the rest are small rectangular chapels with a semicircular apse and an altar. There are twin and triple chapels with one entrance, some of

2254-676: Was clearly inspired by Islamic sources, but it was used differently, and the Armenian muqarnas vault with oculus was not found in the Muslim world until it was copied about a century later, as in the vault of the Yakutiye Madrasa in nearby Erzurum (1310). The "lightwell" itself, with central oculus, is known in Anatolian art from earlier periods, as in the Divriği Great Mosque and Hospital (built 1228-1229). The last evolution consists of

2303-449: Was destroyed by Arabs in the 9th century. Nothing has remained of the structures of Ayrivank. According to Armenian historians of the 4th, 8th and 10th centuries the monastery comprised, apart from religious buildings, well-appointed residential and service installations. Ayrivank suffered greatly in 923 from Nasr, a vice-regent of an Arabian caliph in Armenia, who plundered its valuable property, including unique manuscripts, and burned down

2352-454: Was founded in the 4th century by Gregory the Illuminator at the site of a sacred spring inside a cave. The monastery had thus been originally named Ayrivank (Այրիվանք), meaning "the Monastery of the Cave". The name commonly used for the monastery today, Geghard, or more fully Geghardavank (Գեղարդավանք), meaning "the Monastery of the Spear", originates from the spear which had wounded Jesus at

2401-562: Was the tomb of Papak Proshyan and his wife Ruzukana, as known from an inscription, but their tombstones have disappeared. It was hewn in 1288 on a second level, north of the Proshians’ burial-vault, by way of an external staircase (near the door to the gavit). Also carved into the rock, its form reproduces that of a gavit. It contains the tombs of the princes Merik and Grigor, and others are known to have been there but have now disappeared. An inscription shows it to have been completed in 1288. On

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