Description of the attraction
The Yalta Armenian Church began to be erected in 1909 and its construction was completed in 1914. The Armenian architect Gabriel Ter-Mikelian was commissioned in 1905 to design the church. The well-known Armenian painter and theater artist Vardges Surenyants was involved in sketches for the construction and interior decoration of the building. The church was built at the expense of the Baku oil industrialist Poghos Ter-Ghukasyan. He was building a church in memory of his deceased daughter. His daughter died early and was buried in the family crypt, which was located at the base of the church. Later, two of his sons were buried in this tomb. According to the legend, one of the sons took his own life, having lost a fairly large amount of cards, and the other died under unknown circumstances.
The Yalta Armenian Church was built in the traditions in which the early Christian churches were built, and resembles the ancient temple of Hripsime in Echmiadzin. The architect took this ancient temple as the basis for his project. An Armenian church was built in Yalta from the material of the Foros volcanic tuff.
The main southern facade of the building is decorated with a hundred steps leading to it, framed by pyramidal cypresses. The central staircase overlooks the stately dome topped with a cross. From here you can admire the beauty of the low arch of the southern entrance, a three-tiered loggia, which are decorated with details exquisitely carved into stone by the hands of craftsmen. The main entrance is located at the back of the church. The portal of the main entrance is crowned with a graceful belfry rotunda. In the northeastern part, there are two arched windows, decorated with a relief image of a cross with geometric patterns. The western side of the church ends with a rotunda-belfry of six columns. The open loggia is decorated with decorations made in the traditions of Armenian architecture of the 12-13th centuries.
The basement is intended for the crypt. It is emphasized by a nominal niche, executed with grace, and a very beautiful apse of the tomb. The entrance to the niche is framed by an ornamented arch. A metal lattice adorns the tomb window. On it there is an image of two black ravens that guard the eternal rest of the dead.
The domed hall of the Armenian Church attracts with its original interior. Cruciform in plan, it is illuminated by the wall pylons of twelve arched windows. The dome of the church is adorned with fresco painting depicting white and blue flowers against a light greenish background. Flowers seem to be drawn to the sun. This ornament is enlivened by the birds of paradise.
The creator of this church, Vardges Surenyas, who died in 1921, received the last shelter here. In front of the southern facade of the church is his gravestone, made of gray diorite.
