Haghpat Monastery description and photos - Armenia (Topic)

Haghpat Monastery description and photos - Armenia. Detailed information about the attraction. Description, photographs and a map showing the nearest significant objects. The name in English is Haghpat Monastery.

Photo and description

Haghpat Monastery is located in the northern part of Armenia, in Lori marz, in the village of the same name, northeast of the city of Alaverdi. Scientists still cannot determine with certainty exactly when the Haghpat monastery was founded. According to historical documents and monuments of material culture, the temple was created around the middle of the 10th century.

The founding of the Tashir-Dzoraget kingdom of the Kyurikids in 979 and the increased attention to Haghpat from various rulers of Armenia and their vassals contributed to the construction of a huge number of religious and civil buildings. Over the course of three centuries, several churches, chapels, bell towers, book depositories, bridges, galleries and many residential and office buildings were built here.

The Surb Nshan Church with a vestibule is the oldest surviving building of the Haghpat monastery. The church was founded by Queen Khosrovanush, wife of King Ashot III Bagratuni. It is assumed that the construction of this church was led by the architect Trdat. In the temple, you can see the surviving fragments of the painting from the first half of the 13th century.

The most interesting buildings in Haghpat are the vestibules, which are monuments of medieval Armenian architecture. Morning and evening church services were held here, as well as the burial places of famous figures. The vestibule of Surb Nshan has a rather complex volumetric-spatial shape. Initially, the church was a small vaulted gallery-tomb of the kings of the Kyurikids, erected in 1185. In 1209 it was expanded to the west.

The Haghpat bell tower is considered to be the earliest example of this kind of structures in Armenia. The bell tower looks like a high three-tiered tower with small side-chapels located at different levels.

On the high level of development of the civil architecture of Armenia in the XI-XIII centuries. evidenced by the book depository of Haghpat, built in the middle of the XI century. Of particular interest is also a building of rare architectural composition - the Haghpat refectory in the middle of the XIII century.

Located on a high plateau among low buildings, Haghpat monastery stands out well against the background of the wooded slopes of the Bazum ridge. The ensemble is complemented by small churches erected near it.

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Topic: Haghpat Monastery description and photos - Armenia.