St. Stephen Church :: ARMENIAN HISTORICAL MONUMENTS

St. Stephen Church 1847 — 1849 yy․

Azerbaijan / Northern Artsakh / Dashkesan / Pib

Historical Introduction
1849 y․

St. Stepanos Church represented “…a magnificent stone edifice resting on six splendid pillars. It was built in 1849 through the local people’s support and Tpkhis inhabitant Mr. Stepan Mirimaniants’ financial assistance. An inscription carved on a small marble slab set in the western wall of the sanctuary perpetuates his memory.”

“Ardzagank,” 1886, No. 23, p. 329.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 212.

Architectural Description

Another record mainly focuses on the architectural features of the monument: “…built of mortar and resting on six pillars, it is 22 metres long and 12 metres wide. A dome surmounts the choir, and a belfry rises on top of the roof, at the western edge of the church. It also has a stone cross-carrier…”

Barkhutariants, M. Artsakh. Baku, 1895, p. 296.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 212.

Historical Introduction
1928 y․

St. Stepanos finally closed in 1928.

National Archives of Armenia, fund 409, list 1, file 2658, p. 12.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p.212.

1849 y․

Undoubtedly, the year 1849 mentioned above marks the completion of the church. The aforementioned small belfry was built through the sanctuary’s own means in 1847 (“...eighteen rubles for the construction of the church dome”).

National Archives of Armenia, fund 53, list 1, file 3814, p. 105.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, pp. 212-213.

Repairs
1862 y․

In 1862 “170 rubles were spent on the paving of the floor of the sanctuary and the overhaul of its roof.”

National Archives of Armenia, fund 53, list 1, file 3836, pp. 40-41.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 213.

Architectural Description

St. Stepanos represents a domed hall of rectangular plan built of undressed stone and mortar, except for its dome and most important junctions, which bear finely-finished stones.

Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 213.

Historical Introduction

The church used to retain four manuscript Gospels.

“Ardzagank,” 1886, No. 23, pp. 329-330.
Barkhutariants, M. Artsakh. Baku, 1895, pp. 296-298.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 213.

Type Photo
View Detail
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Black-and-white negative
Date 1980 — 1982 yy․

Type Photo
View Partial view
Direction From the south-east
Author Hovhannes Badalian
Source Colour Negative