Haghartsin () is a 13th-century
monastery
A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone ( hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer whi ...
located near the town of
Dilijan
Dilijan ( hy, Դիլիջան) is a spa town and urban municipal community in the Tavush Province of Armenia. The town is one of the most important resorts in Armenia, situated within the Dilijan National Park. The forested town is home to num ...
in the
Tavush Province
Tavush ( hy, Տավուշ, ) is a province of Armenia located at the northeast of Armenia, bordered by Georgia from the north and Azerbaijan from the east. Internally, Tavush borders the Gegharkunik Province from the south, Kotayk Province from ...
of
Armenia
Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia.The UNbr>classification of world regions places Armenia in Western Asia; the CIA World Factbook , , and ' ...
. It was built between the 10th and 13th centuries (in the 12th under
Khachatur of Taron); much of it under the patronage of the
Bagratuni Dynasty
The Bagratuni or Bagratid dynasty ( hy, Բագրատունի, ) was an Armenian royal dynasty which ruled the medieval Kingdom of Armenia from c. 885 until 1045. Originating as vassals of the Kingdom of Armenia of antiquity, they rose to beco ...
.
Etymology
Traditionally, an eagle was soaring over the dome of the main building at its dedication and thus it became commonly known as the monastery of the playing (or soaring) eagle ("Hagh" means a game while "Artsin", a form of "Artsiv", means eagle in Armenian).
St. Astvatsatsin Church
![Haghartsin Patron Relief Zakaryan Brothers](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/40/Haghartsin_Patron_Relief_Zakaryan_Brothers.JPG)
St. Astvatsatsin Church in Haghartsin (1281) is the largest building and the dominant artistic feature. The sixteen-faced
dome is decorated with
arches, the bases of whose columns are connected by triangular ledges and spheres, with a band around the drum’s bottom. This adds to the optical height of the dome and creates the impression that its drum is weightless. The
platband of the southern portal's
architrave is framed with rows of
trefoil
A trefoil () is a graphic form composed of the outline of three overlapping rings, used in architecture and Christian symbolism, among other areas. The term is also applied to other symbols with a threefold shape. A similar shape with four ring ...
s.
The sculptural group of the church’s eastern facade differs in composition from the similar
bas-relief
Relief is a sculptural method in which the sculpted pieces are bonded to a solid background of the same material. The term '' relief'' is from the Latin verb ''relevo'', to raise. To create a sculpture in relief is to give the impression that th ...
s of
Sanahin
Sanahin () is a village in the northern province of Lori in Armenia, now considered part of the city of Alaverdi (a cable car connects it with Alaverdi). The village is notable for its Sanahin Monastery complex, founded in the 10th century an ...
,
Haghpat
Haghpat ( hy, Հաղպատ) is a village in the Lori Province of Armenia, located near the city of Alaverdi and the state border with Georgia.
It is notable for Haghpat Monastery, a religious complex founded in the 10th century and included in t ...
, and
Harich. It shows two men in
monk
A monk (, from el, μοναχός, ''monachos'', "single, solitary" via Latin ) is a person who practices religious asceticism by monastic living, either alone or with any number of other monks. A monk may be a person who decides to dedica ...
s’ attire who point with their hands at a church model and a picture of a dove with half-spread wings placed between them. The umbrella roofing of the model’s dome shows the original look of the dome of Astvatsatsin church. The figures are shown wearing different dresses — the one standing right is dressed more richly than the one standing left. The faces, with their long whiskers, luxuriant combed beards, and large almond-shaped eyes, are also executed in different manners. These are probably the founders of the church, the
Father Superior and his assistant.
Outside the south door is a khachkar carved by
Poghos in the 13th century.
St. Astvatsatsin Church gavit
The
gavit
A ''gavit'' (Armenian ) or ''zhamatun'' (Armenian: ) is often contiguous to the west of a church in a Medieval Armenian monastery. It served as narthex (entrance to the church), mausoleum and assembly room.
History
The ''gavit'', the distinctive ...
of St. Astvatsatsin Church is severely damaged. The ruins show clearly where it stood; however, the walls are almost completely destroyed.
St. Gregory Church
The oldest large structure of the complex, probably dating from the 10th century, the Surp Grigor Church, is accessible through its gavit, which is wider than the church itself. The dome has an octagonal tambour. An important school of church music was set in this church.
St. Gregory Church gavit
The 12th-century gavit abutting St. Grigor Church is the most common type of plan. It is a square building, with roofing supported by four internal
abutments
An abutment is the substructure at the ends of a bridge span or dam supporting its superstructure. Single-span bridges have abutments at each end which provide vertical and lateral support for the span, as well as acting as retaining walls ...
, and with squat octahedral tents above the central sections, somewhat similar to the Armenian peasant home of the "glkhatun" type. The gavit has ornamented corner sections. Decorated with rosettes, these sections contain sculptures of human figures in monks' attires, carrying crosses, staffs, and birds. The framing of the central window of Haghardzin’s gavit is cross-shaped. Placed right above the portal of the main entrance, it emphasizes the central part of the facade.
One of the half-columns along the right-hand wall towards the back has come forward, showing that it is hollow. According to legend, this was swung open and shut in the past and monastery riches were hidden inside at times of war and invasion.
St. Stepanos Church
The small St. Stepanos Church dates back to 1244.
Bagratuni sepulchre
The Bagratuni sepulchre is where some of the
Bagratuni royalty are buried. It is located next to the gavit of St. Gregory Church.
Refectory
![Haghartsin 10](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4b/Haghartsin_10.jpg)
Like the
Haghpat
Haghpat ( hy, Հաղպատ) is a village in the Lori Province of Armenia, located near the city of Alaverdi and the state border with Georgia.
It is notable for Haghpat Monastery, a religious complex founded in the 10th century and included in t ...
's refectory, the refectory of Haghardzin, built by the architect Minas in 1248, is divided by pillars into two square-plan parts roofed with intersecting arches.
The walls are lined with stone benches, and at the western butt wall, next to the door, there is a broad archway for the numerous pilgrims to navigate. The decoration is concentrated only in the central sections of the roofing, near the main lighting apertures. The transition from the rectangle of their base to the octagon of the top is decorated with tre- and quatrefoils. The low abutments determine the size of the upstretched arches. The proportionally diminishing architectural shapes create the impression of airiness and space.
This space has large wooden log tables and chairs, where receptions occur after marriages or baptisms at the monastery.
World Heritage Listing
The monastery of Haghartsin, together with that of
Goshavank
Goshavank (; meaning "Monastery of Gosh"; previously known as Nor Getik) is a 12th- or 13th-century Armenian monastery located in the village of Gosh in the Tavush Province of Armenia. The impressive monastery which has remained in relatively go ...
, may become part of a natural site based on the state-protected area of
Dilijan National Park
Dilijan National Park is one of the four national parks of Armenia. Occupying an area of 240 km², it is located in the north-eastern Tavush Province of Armenia. It is known for its forest landscapes, rich biodiversity, medicinal mineral water ...
, an important forest in north-eastern Armenia
Current State
In 2011, Haghartsin Monastery underwent a major renovation by
Armenia Fund
Armenia Fund (full name Hayastan All Armenian Fund, hy, Հայաստան համահայկական հիմնադրամ) was established in 1994 in Los Angeles, California. Armenia Fund, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, non-governmental, non-politica ...
with a donation from HH Dr. Sheikh
Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi
Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi ( ar, سلطان بن محمد القاسمي; born 2 July 1939) is the sovereign ruler of the Emirate of Sharjah and a member of the Federal Supreme Council of the United Arab Emirates.
He has ruled Sharjah conti ...
, Ruler of
Sharjah
Sharjah (; ar, ٱلشَّارقَة ', Gulf Arabic: ''aš-Šārja'') is the third-most populous city in the United Arab Emirates, after Dubai and Abu Dhabi, forming part of the Dubai-Sharjah-Ajman metropolitan area.
Sharjah is the capital ...
. Today the complex is reachable by a paved road with a large parking area, a gift shop, a bakery, and other facilities on site. In 2017 the monastery was incorporated into the
Transcaucasian Trail
The Transcaucasian Trail (TCT) is a long-distance hiking trail under development in the Caucasus through Georgia and Armenia. It has been called one of the world's greatest places by Time in 2019.
A long-distance trail in the Caucasus has been a ...
long-distance hiking route.
[ Se]
Transcaucasian Trail Hiking Guide: Dilijan National Park
Gallery
File:Haghartcin.jpg, The Haghartsin monastic complex in July 2007 before the restoration
Image:Mpa of Haghardzin.gif, Location of Haghartsin near Dilijan
Image:Haghartsin Sundial.JPG, S. Stepanos Church exterior carvings and sundial
Image:Haghartsin Lion.JPG, Low-relief depiction of a lion (symbol of the Bagratuni family) on the exterior wall of S. Stepanos Church
File:Khachkar-raffi kojian-IMG 0513.JPG, Khachkar by Poghos (13th century) next to the southern door of the church
File:Haghartsin Restoration.JPG, Haghartsin Monastery in the process of renovation (August 2009)
File:Haghartsin Renovation-Sep2010.JPG, Haghartsin Monastery in the process of renovation (September 2010)
File:Haghartsin Monastery 2011.jpg, Haghartsin Monastery right by the end of the renovation process (August 2011)
File:Haghartsin, Armenia. June 2016.jpg, Haghartsin Monastery
File:16062013(009)Hakharcin.jpg, Surp Astvatsatsin (Mother of God Church) exterior
File:Վանական համալիր Հաղարծին, ArmAg (10).jpg, The 13th century walnut tree destroyed by a lightning in 2013
Sources
*
Architectural Ensembles of Armenia, by O. Khalpakhchian, published in Moscow by Iskusstvo Publishers in 1980.
*
Rediscovering Armenia Guidebook, by Brady Kiesling and Raffi Kojian, published online and printed in 2005.
External links
Armeniapedia.org: Haghartsin MonasteryArmenica.org: Haghartzin MonasteryAbout Haghartsin Church
{{Armenian Churches
Religious buildings and structures completed in 1244
Religious buildings and structures completed in 1248
Religious buildings and structures completed in 1281
Christian monasteries in Armenia
Tourist attractions in Tavush Province
Christian monasteries established in the 13th century
Oriental Orthodox congregations established in the 13th century
Buildings and structures in Tavush Province