Surp Hakob Church (
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 ...
: Սուրբ Հակոբ Եկեղեցի; also,
Saint Jacob of Nisibis) is located in the
Kanaker-Zeytun District
Kanaker-Zeytun ( hy, Քանաքեռ-Զեյթուն վարչական շրջան, translit=K'anak'err-Zeytun varčakan šrĵan), is one of the 12 districts of Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, located in the northeastern part of the city. As of the ...
within the city limits of
Yerevan
Yerevan ( , , hy, Երևան , sometimes spelled Erevan) is the capital and largest city of Armenia and one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities. Situated along the Hrazdan River, Yerevan is the administrative, cultural, and i ...
, the capital of Armenia. Its sister-church,
Surp Astvatsatsin (also, Holy Mother of God Church, built in 1695), is located upon a hilltop to the northwest within sight of the Church of S. Hakob.
History
After the destruction of the original church by the
1679 Yerevan earthquake, S. Hakob was reconstructed through the donations of Hakobjan, a wealthy resident of
Tbilisi
Tbilisi ( ; ka, თბილისი ), in some languages still known by its pre-1936 name Tiflis ( ), is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Kura River with a population of approximately 1.5 million p ...
. While serving as a seat of the
bishop
A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution.
In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is c ...
in 1868, the churchyard housed the diocesan school named after St. Sahak Partev, under the administration of Mesrop Archimandrite Smbatyants. During the
Soviet period
The history of Soviet Russia and the Soviet Union (USSR) reflects a period of change for both Russia and the world. Though the terms "Soviet Russia" and "Soviet Union" often are synonymous in everyday speech (either acknowledging the dominance ...
, the church was locked and converted into a storehouse. It resumed functioning once again in 1990.
Architecture
The Church of S. Hakob is a three-nave
basilica
In Ancient Roman architecture, a basilica is a large public building with multiple functions, typically built alongside the town's Forum (Roman), forum. The basilica was in the Latin West equivalent to a stoa in the Greek East. The building ...
with no dome, but has a single
cupola
In architecture, a cupola () is a relatively small, most often dome-like, tall structure on top of a building. Often used to provide a lookout or to admit light and air, it usually crowns a larger roof or dome.
The word derives, via Italian, fro ...
that sits off-center upon the
gable roof. There are entrances to the interior at the southern and western walls. An elaborately carved entrance adorns the western façade, where there are
khachkars dated 1504, 1571 and 1621 affixed to the wall. The interior of the structure contains a number of
mural
A mural is any piece of graphic artwork that is painted or applied directly to a wall, ceiling or other permanent substrate. Mural techniques include fresco, mosaic, graffiti and marouflage.
Word mural in art
The word ''mural'' is a Spani ...
s depicting saints that have been applied to the two pairs of columns and walls. The main
altar
An altar is a table or platform for the presentation of religious offerings, for sacrifices, or for other ritualistic purposes. Altars are found at shrines, temples, churches, and other places of worship. They are used particularly in paga ...
is located at the eastern interior wall where there are adjacent
sacristies
A sacristy, also known as a vestry or preparation room, is a room in Christian churches for the keeping of vestments (such as the alb and chasuble) and other church furnishings, sacred vessels, and parish records.
The sacristy is usually located ...
.
To the southwest of the church is a gate from 1887 with some decoration that can be seen at the top.
Gallery
Image:S. Astvatsatsin Church 1695 Kanaker.jpg, The nearby sister-church, S. Astvatsatsin (''Holy Mother of God'', 1695)
Image:S. Hakob Western Portal.JPG, Western portal to the church
Image:S. Hakob Southern Portal.JPG, Southern portal to the church
Image:S. Hakob Interior Mural.JPG, Interior mural depicting Saints George
George may refer to:
People
* George (given name)
* George (surname)
* George (singer), American-Canadian singer George Nozuka, known by the mononym George
* George Washington, First President of the United States
* George W. Bush, 43rd Presid ...
(top) and Paul
Paul may refer to:
*Paul (given name), a given name (includes a list of people with that name)
* Paul (surname), a list of people
People
Christianity
*Paul the Apostle (AD c.5–c.64/65), also known as Saul of Tarsus or Saint Paul, early Chri ...
(bottom)
Image:S. Hakob Gate.JPG, Gate of 1887
See also
*
List of churches in Yerevan
References
External links
Official website of Yerevan: Churches
{{Yerevan landmarks
Churches completed in 1695
17th-century churches
Armenian Apostolic church buildings in Yerevan
Christian monasteries in Armenia
Tourist attractions in Yerevan