Sourb Astvatzatzin Cathedral :: ARMENIAN HISTORICAL MONUMENTS

Sourb Astvatzatzin Cathedral 7 c․

RA (Republic of Armenia) / Tavush / Noyemberian / Voskepar

Location

The monument is situated not far from the left bank of the river Voskepar, in the territory of a formerly-inhabited place that goes back to at least the Early Middle Ages, around 400 metres north-east of the village, at an altitude of 735 metres above sea level (N 41°04՛25.27՛՛; E 045°04՛32.47՛՛).

Karapetian Samvel, The Historical Monuments of Voskepar, Yerevan, 2013, p. 14.

Historical Introduction

The first written record mentioning this church of rare architectural merits is provided by folklorist S. Kamalian, who wrote the following in 1884: “...This monastery is built on the verge of a gorge in the east of the old village. It is a cruciform monument of finely-finished stone both inwardly and outwardly and has a newly-constructed dome...”

Քաջիկեան, Ճանապարհորդական յիշատակարան, «Արձագանք», 1888, 3 ապրիլի, N 12, էջ 159: Surprising as it is, Bishop Makar Barkhutariants does not say a word regarding the existence of this church although he reports topographical information concerning a great number of other monuments of less importance. Karapetian Samvel, The Historical Monuments of Voskepar, Yerevan, 2013, p. 14.

Later the composition and architectural peculiarities of the church were studied by S. Ter-Avetissian, A. Yacobson, G. Shakhkian, P. Cuneo, M. Hasratian and others. All these researchers unanimously trace it back to the 7th century.

Тер-Аветисян, Заметка о Воскепаре и Киранце, “Материалы по истории Грузии и Кавказа”, выпуск VII, Тбилиси, 1937, с. 505-511. Якобсон А., Из истории армянского средневекового зодчества. церковь в Воскепаре, “Краткие сообщения института истории материальной культуры им. Н. Я. Марра, М.-Л., 1948, с. 29-35. Շախկյան Գ., Լոռի. Պատմության քարակերտ էջերը, Երևան, 1986, էջ 167-168: Cuneo P., Architettura Armena, tomo 1, 1988, Roma, p. 319: Հասրաթյան Մ., Հայկական վաղքրիստոնեական ճարտարապետությունը, Մոսկվա, 2010, էջ 25, 292-293: The only exception is G. Chubinashvili, who traces the church back to the 9th to 11th centuries “according to its architectural and artistic features.” However, he does not even analyze them in his article to substantiate his statement (Чубинашвили Г., Армянское искусство с конца IX и до начала XI в., сб. “Сасунский Давид”, Тбилиси, 1939, с. 31): Apparently, certain Georgian authors focus all their “scientific” activities only on reducing the antiquity of Armenian historical monuments. With this respect, mention should be made of one of their works which has recently been reviewed and criticized in the “Vardzk” periodical (2013, N 8, pp. 45-64). Karapetian Samvel, The Historical Monuments of Voskepar, Yerevan, 2013, p. 14.

The sanctuary belongs to the so-called Mastara type of churches and goes back to the 7th century, like the other surviving monuments of the same composition.

Karapetian Samvel, The Historical Monuments of Voskepar, Yerevan, 2013, p. 14.

Architectural Description

Inwardly, Sourb Astvatzatzin has semi-circular apses opening from its square prayer-hall (5.4 x 5.4 metres) in the four directions of the horizon. Their centres of curvature fall within the facade line by 65 cm. The underdome square joins the dome by means of squinches. The church is entirely built of regular blocks of finely-dressed felsite of lime and sand. Its pointed spire as well as its entire roof is covered with slabs which have semi-cylindrical endings. As is typical of the Armenian Chalcedonian churches of the 7th century, Sourb Astvatzatzin originally had a low bema which had the height of only a single step. However, during its restoration in the 1970s, it was unnecessarily raised by another one. A vestry of a rectangular plan, extending from the east westward, is found on either side of the main apse. The church has two similar portals which open from its southern and western facades. Light is let in through three windows opening from its facades (only the northern facade lacks one) and four others belonging to its octahedral tambour. Besides, each of the sacristies has a window opening from the east. On the whole, Sourb Astvatzatzin has plain decoration, in which particularly noteworthy are the portals and the sculptured crowns of the windows of the three facades and tambour. The base of the southern pilaster of the western portal is adorned with fish reliefs. The interior of the church is remarkable for simpler ornamentation to such an extent that even the built-in-wall capitals lack any embellishment. Special mention should be made of only the simple ring-shaped patterns carved on the upper part of the small angular squinches of the facets of the octahedral tambour.

Karapetian Samvel, The Historical Monuments of Voskepar, Yerevan, 2013, pp. 14-17.

Cross Relief

Karapetian Samvel, The Historical Monuments of Voskepar, Yerevan, 2013, p. 14.

Type Photo
View Exterior
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Colour Negative

The cross relief adorning the tympanum of the southern entrance of the church of Voskepar

Type Photo
View Exterior
Direction From the north-west
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Colour Negative

Type Photo
View Exterior
Direction From the south-west
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Colour Negative
Date 2013 y․

Type Photo
View Exterior
Direction From the north-west
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Colour Negative
Date 2013 y․

Type Photo
View Exterior
Direction From the north-east
Author Ashot Hakobian
Source Colour Negative
Date 2012 y․

Type Photo
View Exterior
Direction From the north
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Colour Negative
Date 2012 y․

Type Photo
View Exterior
Direction From the north-west
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Colour Negative
Date 2012 y․

Type Photo
View Exterior
Direction From the east
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Colour Negative
Date 2012 y․

Type Photo
View Partial view
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Colour Negative
Date 2012 y․

Type Photo
View Detail
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Colour Negative
Date 2012 y․

Type Photo
View Exterior
Author Ashot Hakobian
Source Colour Negative
Date 2012 y․

Type Photo
View Detail
Author Ashot Hakobian
Source Colour Negative
Date 2012 y․

Type Photo
View Exterior
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Colour Negative
Date 2012 y․

The western entrance of the church of Voskepar

Type Photo
View Interior
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Colour Negative
Date 2012 y․

The dome of the church of Voskepar

Type Photo
View Interior
Direction From the south
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Colour Negative
Date 2012 y․

Type Photo
View Exterior
Direction From the north
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Colour Negative
Date 2012 y․

Type Measurement
View Exterior
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Sketch

Measurements (its western and eastern facades); details; the plan of the monument and its section to the east

Type Photo
View Partial view
Author Ashot Hakobian
Source Colour Negative
Date 2012 y․

A partial view of the interior of the sacristy ending in a cylindrical vault

Type Photo
View Exterior
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Colour Negative
Date 2012 y․

The ring-shaped ornaments adorning the upper parts of the squinches of the corners of the tambour facets

Type Photo
View Exterior
Author Jean-Michel Thierry
Source Colour Negative
Date 1977 y․

A scene from the restoration of the church in 1977 (photos by J.-M. Thierry)