St. Hovhannes (John) Church Church :: ARMENIAN HISTORICAL MONUMENTS

St. Hovhannes (John) Church Church

Iran / Western Atrpatakan / Salmast / Gezelja

Location

St. Hovhannes (John) Church, which is located at the north-western extremity (N 38°12°08.17°°; E 044°53°28.40°°) of Ghezelja, was built in 1685.

Պալունի, Վիճակագրական տեղեկութիւն Սալմաստ գաւառի հայ ազգաբնակութեան [Palouny, “Statistical Data Regarding the Armenian Population in Salmast District”], «Նոր-Դար» [Nor-Dar], no. 216, 10 December 1896, p. 3.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 155.

Historical Introduction

It was particularly mentioned in 1864,38 1875,39 1890 (“an arched church built of stone and mortar and dedicated to St. Hovhannes Mkrtich [John the Baptist”),40 190541 and 1913.42

National Archives of Armenia, fund 429, list 1, file 100, p. 102.
Ararat, no. 3 (1876), p. 110.
Goroyants, p. 182.
Materials for the History of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Party, vol. 4, p. 267.
Azgin, “The Conversion of Ghezelja Armenians,” p. 4.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 155.

In 1957 the church was in a semi-ruined state. It was never permitted to ring bells.

Թղթակից, Ամփոփ տեղեկանք Սալմաստի հայ համայնքի մասին [Tghtakits, “A Brief Report on the Armenian Community of Salmast”], «Ալիք» [Alik], no. 103, 15 May 1957, p. 4.
Աթայեան Ա., Սալմաստ [A. Atayan, Salmast] (New Jugha, 1906), p. 43.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 155.

The church plan was published in 1969 by the German architect W. Kleiss. In 1976 it was studied and measured by the Italian expedition led by A. Alpago-Novello.

Kleiss, W. “Report on Two Exploratory Journeys in North-Western Iran.” Archaeological Reports from Iran. Vol. 2 (Berlin, 1969).
Research into Armenian Architecture: Iran, vol. 1 (17), pp. 50-51.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 155.

In 2011 the church was entirely in ruins—the handiwork of treasure hunters: its south-western pillar was almost hanging in the air, while the section adjacent to its entrance was totally destroyed (the tympanum and the cornerstones, seen as absolutely intact in a photo of 1976, were missing). The elevated bema and altar-stone were destroyed, too. A tombstone was thrown into a pit dug in front of the western facade of the church.

Due to the continual destruction by treasure-hunters and the accumulation of debris in the prayer hall, its floor level rose to completely cover the bema.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, pp. 155-156.

Architectural Description

St. Hovhannes Church (exterior dimensions: 15.20 x 11.14 metres) is a three-nave basilica built of undressed and semi-finished stones which are bound by mortar. There is a two-floor vestry of a rectangular plan on either side of its semi-circular sanctuary. The vaulted ceiling is borne by semi-circular arches resting on two pairs of pillars which are quadrangular in plan. The only entrance to the church opens from its western facade. The interior is plastered.

Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 155.

Direction From the west
Author Paolo Cuneo
Date 1976 y․

Author Paolo Cuneo
Date 1976 y․

Type Measurement
Author Ashot Hakobian
Date 2011 y․

Direction From the north-west
Author Samvel Karapetian
Date 2011 y․

Direction From the south-west
Author Samvel Karapetian
Date 2011 y․

Direction From the west
Author Samvel Karapetian
Date 2011 y․

Direction From the south
Author Samvel Karapetian
Date 2011 y․

Direction From the north
Author Samvel Karapetian
Date 2011 y․

Direction From the east
Author Samvel Karapetian
Date 2011 y․

Author Samvel Karapetian
Date 2011 y․