Where an opened area is made by the edges of the mountain chain, a rocky peninsula extended triangularly on a deep precipice. To the addition of the natural miracle a handiwork wonder was done: the famous Tatev monastery was built hereas an unique architectural column, as a torch of separating the light of science and literacy in the obscurity: as an unknown historian pronounced himself.
In X century, having 500 friars and being full of Philisophers and hymns, Tatev monastery became not only a place of prayer, also the heart of cultural, artistic, crafts and scientific development, whose fire didn't die for more than a half millennium.
Tatev monastery is situated South of Goris, on the height of a triangle peninsula upon the bank of River Vorotan. The site of the monastery is flat, and it is bordered with high mountains from the West and East.
There were paganism buildings in that highland in period, BC, and in IV-V centuries, AD, A simple church was in use an inaccessible position gave great advantage. The meaning of Tatev church gradually increased and at the second period of VIII century it became Syunik bishop's center.
At the time, in 895, Tatev monastery was established, and later it became famous. It was the principal among 48 churches in Syunik Kingdom, and one of the biggest Christian centers that had a great influence on holy feudalism in Armenia.
The building of Tatev monastery with its temples, ramparts and auxiliary buildings, as a complete complex, took dozens of years and a lot of work.
The monastery is bordered with ramparts and in the middle of it St. Paul and St. Peter church stands.
In 895 Hovhannes bishop with help and protection of Syuniants Grand Prince Ashot and his wife Shushan, destroyed the old church and built a new one in place of it. He took the fragments of Paul and Peter and again conluded them into the walls of the newly built church, because of it the big temple was named "Paul and Peter". The building of it lasted 11 years. It is a typical basilice (a building style, that inner is twice seperated with two coloumns) which is enriched with some new features. The notable height of the cathedral increases the influence of its terse style.
Smooth, without superflous details, the front parts of the temple are decorated with human pictures, that turn into snake heads, as a patron of Armenian family.
The walls of the temple are made with large-size basaltic stones cultivated regularly. The temple has six windows; four of them are on the northern wall. When the built was over in 930, the inner surface of the church was covered with great art fiascos, and both Armenian and foreign painters worked on them, costing the monastery large sums of money. Though today they are mostly ruined, they made an unforgettable impression on people. "Jesus surrounded with prophets and saints" is represented on the altar apse. "Terrible Court" is ornamated on the western wall and the "Birth of Christ" on the northern wall. The church-tower was built adjacent to the Western brow of the church, which, in spite of simple images of the church, is covered with ornoments.
In the southern wall of St. Paul and Peter church a door is opened in front of it famous philosopher Grigor Tateviants is buried, a small chapel stands on his grave with three columns in 1787.
In the East of the same southern side St. Grigor Illuminator church was built. It is smaller and has a simple style: it is alone, without column, and khorans (canon table), only on the both northern and southern wall there are three false columns, which the arches are crutched to, holding inclined tiling. Its decoration is rather poor, the portal is decorated with lacy geometrical ornoments. The architects, who built the church, refused to stand cupola, as it would turn the people's attention from the cupola of the main church. In the south of St.Grigor Illuminator church was the gallery with arched aperture. perhaps, the university was in this part.
The stand out apse is in the East where the holy table stands; there are cross-windows and a round one up to it. There are 2 board windows and close by two narrows ones on thesouthern wall. The church was built in 848 and the final renewing was done in 1295.
Far from St. Paul and St. Peter church in the northern part of the monastery close by the rampart small St. Virgin church is; a beautiful high observatory. It is two-floored building: the first floor is arched and roofed, and the second one is copulated and is bordered with pillar-hall. It is made of holy-chapped stones, has simple inner style, without cells.
The downstairs of the church is larger than the upstairs, and was used as a mausoleum. A stony ladder was made near its western wall, which lead upstairs.
During the Earthquake in 1931, like other churches, the St. Virgin was also ruined, but it has been renewed since 1974.
Among Tatev monastery complex famous monument-obelisk (column) "Gavazan Syun" awarded to St. Triplet has its special place. It is considered one of the Armenian Eight miracles. "Gavazan Syun" is standing in the North of St. Paul and Peter church and represents itself an architectural pretty creation, and it is also considered as an unique creation of Armenian engineering, which was built in 906 after the building of the main temple was completed. The column is made of lime and stone and faced with holy-chipped stones. It has eight-seat, and the length of each one is 2.88 meters and the height is 9 meters. "Gavazan'" is crutched to double-degree, also eight sections pedestal. About in the middle turgid, narrow belts border it. About up in 6.5 meters height the trunk is crowned with khoyakner; which carries a dfvd decorated with roses. Next cross-stones with simple decoration standat a height of 1.05 meters, ornated in a circle. There is Khachqar with slot ornoments on the top of it.
When the column is pulled either from the up or the down it was brandished on the ground and again it returned to its vertical position. The monolithic of its mass faced with little stones is gained owing to the excellent high quality of lime concrete, which forms the pith, and because of it any movement didn't disturb the general stability of "Gavazan"
Under the ramparts inner surroundings of the monastery, more late in XVII-XVIII centuries, different secular buildings were built: some of the better known are those in the southern part. The flat of Abbot, some cells for the monks were in the part, where the walls are the direct continuity of Tatev canyon and the verandah was hung up over the deep canyon and no human foot could climb up from the canyon collapse.
Besides dwelling rooms, there was also writing-house, teacher's-room, school, bathroom and a great number of production buildings: workshops, reserves, and etc. The dining room was also famous building, where there were stony long tables and benches. The barnyard and the hayloft of the monastery were near the villages and now are ruined.
The oil-mill was out of the monastery rampart.
Tatev monastery was a holy-feudal organization. It has 26 thousand desyatin lands in Tatev, Shinuhayr, in Shivan canyon, and in other villages in Syunik. According to the notes of S. Orbelyan historian, still in the X century Hamaspuhin, the daughter of Syuniants Babken Prince, presented Halidzor to Tatev monastery and it was its property untill the XIX century.
So at a short time the monastery obtained large properties. The peasants of the properties and villages were the monastery slaves and were exploited furiously.
In the X century to enlarge its domination the monastery made the neighbored villages disport. At the time the peasants were over totaled and darted off the monastery, especially the Tsuraberdiants (Svarants) in 910, and seized the monastery, killed some monks and the others were thrown down the canyon.
At the end of the X century during another rebellion, the bishop was also killed. The rebellion was pressed roughly: the secular feudalist supported the holy ones; they killed ruthlessly, the villagers were deported, the villages were destroyed.
However, there were studious clergymen in Tatev monastery. They created teachers-house, preceptor-house and writing-house. Many manuscripts were collected and saved carefully, which were presented from different parts of Armenia. At the same time the master writers and painters copied out the manuscrifts.
In IX-XIII centuries there was a preceptor-house (Academy) in the monastery, and matenadaran in the school. Tatev monastery had 10000 manuscripts. Among the old and new schools, Tatev University was famous in the XIV-XV centuries and it was Gladzor University Continuous and worthy heir.
B. Harutyunyan
translated by Lusine Harutyunyan
proof-read by Charlie Ihrke (Peace Corp volunteer)
In X century, having 500 friars and being full of Philisophers and hymns, Tatev monastery became not only a place of prayer, also the heart of cultural, artistic, crafts and scientific development, whose fire didn't die for more than a half millennium.
Tatev monastery is situated South of Goris, on the height of a triangle peninsula upon the bank of River Vorotan. The site of the monastery is flat, and it is bordered with high mountains from the West and East.
There were paganism buildings in that highland in period, BC, and in IV-V centuries, AD, A simple church was in use an inaccessible position gave great advantage. The meaning of Tatev church gradually increased and at the second period of VIII century it became Syunik bishop's center.
At the time, in 895, Tatev monastery was established, and later it became famous. It was the principal among 48 churches in Syunik Kingdom, and one of the biggest Christian centers that had a great influence on holy feudalism in Armenia.
The building of Tatev monastery with its temples, ramparts and auxiliary buildings, as a complete complex, took dozens of years and a lot of work.
The monastery is bordered with ramparts and in the middle of it St. Paul and St. Peter church stands.
In 895 Hovhannes bishop with help and protection of Syuniants Grand Prince Ashot and his wife Shushan, destroyed the old church and built a new one in place of it. He took the fragments of Paul and Peter and again conluded them into the walls of the newly built church, because of it the big temple was named "Paul and Peter". The building of it lasted 11 years. It is a typical basilice (a building style, that inner is twice seperated with two coloumns) which is enriched with some new features. The notable height of the cathedral increases the influence of its terse style.
Smooth, without superflous details, the front parts of the temple are decorated with human pictures, that turn into snake heads, as a patron of Armenian family.
The walls of the temple are made with large-size basaltic stones cultivated regularly. The temple has six windows; four of them are on the northern wall. When the built was over in 930, the inner surface of the church was covered with great art fiascos, and both Armenian and foreign painters worked on them, costing the monastery large sums of money. Though today they are mostly ruined, they made an unforgettable impression on people. "Jesus surrounded with prophets and saints" is represented on the altar apse. "Terrible Court" is ornamated on the western wall and the "Birth of Christ" on the northern wall. The church-tower was built adjacent to the Western brow of the church, which, in spite of simple images of the church, is covered with ornoments.
In the southern wall of St. Paul and Peter church a door is opened in front of it famous philosopher Grigor Tateviants is buried, a small chapel stands on his grave with three columns in 1787.
In the East of the same southern side St. Grigor Illuminator church was built. It is smaller and has a simple style: it is alone, without column, and khorans (canon table), only on the both northern and southern wall there are three false columns, which the arches are crutched to, holding inclined tiling. Its decoration is rather poor, the portal is decorated with lacy geometrical ornoments. The architects, who built the church, refused to stand cupola, as it would turn the people's attention from the cupola of the main church. In the south of St.Grigor Illuminator church was the gallery with arched aperture. perhaps, the university was in this part.
The stand out apse is in the East where the holy table stands; there are cross-windows and a round one up to it. There are 2 board windows and close by two narrows ones on thesouthern wall. The church was built in 848 and the final renewing was done in 1295.
Far from St. Paul and St. Peter church in the northern part of the monastery close by the rampart small St. Virgin church is; a beautiful high observatory. It is two-floored building: the first floor is arched and roofed, and the second one is copulated and is bordered with pillar-hall. It is made of holy-chapped stones, has simple inner style, without cells.
The downstairs of the church is larger than the upstairs, and was used as a mausoleum. A stony ladder was made near its western wall, which lead upstairs.
During the Earthquake in 1931, like other churches, the St. Virgin was also ruined, but it has been renewed since 1974.
Among Tatev monastery complex famous monument-obelisk (column) "Gavazan Syun" awarded to St. Triplet has its special place. It is considered one of the Armenian Eight miracles. "Gavazan Syun" is standing in the North of St. Paul and Peter church and represents itself an architectural pretty creation, and it is also considered as an unique creation of Armenian engineering, which was built in 906 after the building of the main temple was completed. The column is made of lime and stone and faced with holy-chipped stones. It has eight-seat, and the length of each one is 2.88 meters and the height is 9 meters. "Gavazan'" is crutched to double-degree, also eight sections pedestal. About in the middle turgid, narrow belts border it. About up in 6.5 meters height the trunk is crowned with khoyakner; which carries a dfvd decorated with roses. Next cross-stones with simple decoration standat a height of 1.05 meters, ornated in a circle. There is Khachqar with slot ornoments on the top of it.
When the column is pulled either from the up or the down it was brandished on the ground and again it returned to its vertical position. The monolithic of its mass faced with little stones is gained owing to the excellent high quality of lime concrete, which forms the pith, and because of it any movement didn't disturb the general stability of "Gavazan"
Under the ramparts inner surroundings of the monastery, more late in XVII-XVIII centuries, different secular buildings were built: some of the better known are those in the southern part. The flat of Abbot, some cells for the monks were in the part, where the walls are the direct continuity of Tatev canyon and the verandah was hung up over the deep canyon and no human foot could climb up from the canyon collapse.
Besides dwelling rooms, there was also writing-house, teacher's-room, school, bathroom and a great number of production buildings: workshops, reserves, and etc. The dining room was also famous building, where there were stony long tables and benches. The barnyard and the hayloft of the monastery were near the villages and now are ruined.
The oil-mill was out of the monastery rampart.
Tatev monastery was a holy-feudal organization. It has 26 thousand desyatin lands in Tatev, Shinuhayr, in Shivan canyon, and in other villages in Syunik. According to the notes of S. Orbelyan historian, still in the X century Hamaspuhin, the daughter of Syuniants Babken Prince, presented Halidzor to Tatev monastery and it was its property untill the XIX century.
So at a short time the monastery obtained large properties. The peasants of the properties and villages were the monastery slaves and were exploited furiously.
In the X century to enlarge its domination the monastery made the neighbored villages disport. At the time the peasants were over totaled and darted off the monastery, especially the Tsuraberdiants (Svarants) in 910, and seized the monastery, killed some monks and the others were thrown down the canyon.
At the end of the X century during another rebellion, the bishop was also killed. The rebellion was pressed roughly: the secular feudalist supported the holy ones; they killed ruthlessly, the villagers were deported, the villages were destroyed.
However, there were studious clergymen in Tatev monastery. They created teachers-house, preceptor-house and writing-house. Many manuscripts were collected and saved carefully, which were presented from different parts of Armenia. At the same time the master writers and painters copied out the manuscrifts.
In IX-XIII centuries there was a preceptor-house (Academy) in the monastery, and matenadaran in the school. Tatev monastery had 10000 manuscripts. Among the old and new schools, Tatev University was famous in the XIV-XV centuries and it was Gladzor University Continuous and worthy heir.
B. Harutyunyan
translated by Lusine Harutyunyan
proof-read by Charlie Ihrke (Peace Corp volunteer)
