Hakobavank ( hy, Հակոբավանք, translation=monastery of Hakob), also known as Metsaranits Monastery ( hy, Մեծառանից վանք), is an

Armenian Armenian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia * Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent ** Armenian Diaspora, Armenian communities across the ...

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 ...

, which is situated near the village of

Kolatak Kolatak ( hy, Քոլատակ; az, Kolatağ) is a village ''de facto'' in the Martakert Province of the Political status of Nagorno-Karabakh, breakaway Republic of Artsakh, ''de jure'' in the Kalbajar District of Azerbaijan, in the disputed region ...

in the disputed region of

Nagorno-Karabakh Nagorno-Karabakh ( ) is a landlocked region in the South Caucasus, within the mountainous range of Karabakh, lying between Lower Karabakh and Syunik, and covering the southeastern range of the Lesser Caucasus mountains. The region is m ...

, ''

de facto ''De facto'' ( ; , "in fact") describes practices that exist in reality, whether or not they are officially recognized by laws or other formal norms. It is commonly used to refer to what happens in practice, in contrast with ''de jure'' ("by la ...

'' in the

Republic of Artsakh Artsakh, officially the Republic of Artsakh () or the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (),, is a breakaway state in the South Caucasus whose territory is internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan. Artsakh controls a part of the former ...

and ''

de jure In law and government, ''de jure'' ( ; , "by law") describes practices that are legally recognized, regardless of whether the practice exists in reality. In contrast, ("in fact") describes situations that exist in reality, even if not legally ...

'' in

Azerbaijan Azerbaijan (, ; az, Azərbaycan ), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, , also sometimes officially called the Azerbaijan Republic is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is a part of t ...

History

Hakobavank was established in the 5th-7th centuries. It acquired its final form by the 11th-12th centuries. In the 14th century the monastery became the deaconry of the Mets Arank (Metsarants) province. The complex was named after St. Hakob Mtsbnetsi, who professed

Christianity in Armenia As of 2011, most Armenians are Christians (97%) and are members of Armenia's own church, the Armenian Apostolic Church, which is one of the oldest Christian churches. It was founded in the 1st century AD, and in 301 AD became the first branch of ...

, and whose relics were kept in the monastery until the 19th century. There is no information about the date of foundation of the monastery. The oldest inscription, carved on the pedestal of a khachkar (cross-stone), refers to the year of 853. According to the historical chronicles, the monastery buildings were built, rebuilt and reconstructed periodically between the 9th and 18th centuries. One of the manuscripts kept in

Matenadaran The Matenadaran ( hy, Մատենադարան), officially the Mesrop Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts, is a museum, repository of manuscripts, and a research institute in Yerevan, Armenia. It is the world's largest repository of Armenian ...

says that the Metsaranits Church was rebuilt by Khorinshah Zakarian. A renovation project of the monastery complex commenced in 2022.

Gallery

Վանական համալիր «Մեծառանից վանք» (Սբ. Հակոբավանք) 20.jpg Վանական_համալիր_«Մեծառանից_վանք»_(Սբ._Հակոբավանք)_03.jpg, Hakobavank Monastery Artsakh 13.JPG Վանական համալիր «Մեծառանից վանք» (Սբ. Հակոբավանք) 23.jpg Metsaranits vanq 15.JPG

References

{{Armenian churches and monasteries Armenian Apostolic monasteries Christian monasteries in the Republic of Artsakh