Makravank ( hy, Մաքրավանք) is an Armenian church-complex located in the

Makravan Makravan is a district of the town of Hrazdan and a former village in the Kotayk Province of Armenia. Upon the 12 January 1963 decision of the Supreme Soviet of the Armenian SSR on the territorial changes in the state, the villages of Atarbekyan, ...

district of Hrazdan, the capital of Kotayk Province, Armenia. Hasratyan, Murad. ''Մաքրավանք'' (Mak'ravank'). Armenian Soviet Encyclopedia. vol. vii. Yerevan: Armenian Academy of Sciences, 1981, pp. 370-371. The monastic complex includes a half-ruined 11th-century chapel. The 13th-century church dedicated to Surb Astvatsatsin (Holy Mother of God) has a circular tambour and a conical cupola. The complex also includes the lower walls of the gavit and a medieval cemetery.

Architecture

The Church of S. Astvatsatsin has a single central

drum The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments. In the Hornbostel-Sachs classification system, it is a membranophone. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a she ...

which supports a conical

dome A dome () is an architectural element similar to the hollow upper half of a sphere. There is significant overlap with the term cupola, which may also refer to a dome or a structure on top of a dome. The precise definition of a dome has been a m ...

above. Narrow windows with bell style arches are positioned at each of the four

cardinal direction The four cardinal directions, or cardinal points, are the four main compass directions: north, east, south, and west, commonly denoted by their initials N, E, S, and W respectively. Relative to north, the directions east, south, and west are at ...

s. The arch of the window at the south end is flanked by Bolnisi style crosses at either side, while another example of this style of cross may be seen above the small window at the rear of the 11th-century chapel adjacent to S. Astvatsatsin. It is slightly different though, in that the cross stands on a stepped

plinth A pedestal (from French ''piédestal'', Italian ''piedistallo'' 'foot of a stall') or plinth is a support at the bottom of a statue, vase, column, or certain altars. Smaller pedestals, especially if round in shape, may be called socles. In ...

. A single portal leads into the church, while a separate entry is utilized for the chapel. A semi-circular tympanum above the entry to S. Astvatsatsin contains a single-line inscription in

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 ...

and four Armenian-style crosses in

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 ...

. Its

altar An altar is a Table (furniture), table or platform for the presentation of religion, religious offerings, for sacrifices, or for other ritualistic purposes. Altars are found at shrines, temples, Church (building), churches, and other places of wo ...

is constructed of wood and is painted several different

hue In color theory, hue is one of the main properties (called color appearance parameters) of a color, defined technically in the CIECAM02 model as "the degree to which a stimulus can be described as similar to or different from stimuli that ...

s (reds, greens, blues, etc.). The adjacent (south) 10th/11th-century Holy Redeemer chapel is a simple building with a

gable A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of intersecting roof pitches. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system used, which reflects climate, material availability, and aest ...

roof. It has two small, narrow windows; one at the front, and one at the rear. A smaller semi-circular tympanum rests above the door to the chapel, while two large

khachkars A ''khachkar'', also known as a ''khatchkar'' or Armenian cross-stone ( hy, խաչքար, , խաչ xačʿ "cross" + քար kʿar "stone") is a carved, memorial stele bearing a cross, and often with additional motifs such as rosettes, i ...

sit in front. To the west of S. Astvatsatsin and near the chapel, are the lower walls of the church's gavit that now serve as a wall for a

courtyard A courtyard or court is a circumscribed area, often surrounded by a building or complex, that is open to the sky. Courtyards are common elements in both Western and Eastern building patterns and have been used by both ancient and contemporary ...

. The monastery's medieval cemetery sits to the east and also has several interesting khachkars and tombstones.

Gallery

Image:Makravank Monastery 1.JPG, S. Astvatsatsin Church, south façade Image:Makravank Monastery Dome.JPG, S. Astvatsatsin Church dome Image:Makravank Cross Tympanum.JPG, Tympanum above the entry to S. Astvatsatsin Image:Makravank Chapel.JPG, 11th-century chapel adjacent to S. Astvatsatsin Church, west façade Image:Makravank Large Khachkar.JPG, Large khachkar adjacent to the entry to S. Astvatsatsin Church Image:Makravank Cemetery Khachkars 2.JPG, Cemetery with several khachkars Image:Makravank Cemetery Khachkars 1.JPG, Cemetery with several khachkars Image:Makravank Tombstone.JPG, Tombstone depicting musicians

References

External links

Armeniapedia.org: Makravank Monastery
* {{Armenian Churches Armenian Apostolic monasteries in Armenia Tourist attractions in Kotayk Province Christian monasteries established in the 10th century Oriental Orthodox congregations established in the 10th century Buildings and structures in Kotayk Province