Description of the attraction
Haghpat Monastery is located in the northern part of Armenia, in the Lori marz, in the village of the same name, northeast of the city of Alaverdi. Scientists still cannot determine with certainty exactly when the Haghpat Monastery was founded. According to historical documents and monuments of material culture, the temple was created around the middle of the 10th century.
The foundation of the Tashir-Dzoraget kingdom of the Kyurikids in 979 and the increased attention to Haghpat from various rulers of Armenia and their vassals contributed to the construction of a huge number of religious and civil buildings. Over the course of three centuries, several churches, chapels, bell towers, book depositories, bridges, galleries and many residential and service buildings were built here.
The Surb Nshan Church with a vestibule is the oldest surviving building of the Haghpat Monastery. The church was founded by Queen Khosrovanush, wife of King Ashot III Bagratuni. It is assumed that the construction of this church was led by the architect Trdat. In the temple you can see the surviving fragments of the painting of the first half of the 13th century.
The most interesting buildings in Haghpat are the vestibules, which are monuments of medieval Armenian architecture. Morning and evening church services were held here, as well as the burial places of famous figures. The vestibule of Surb Nshan has a rather complex volumetric-spatial shape. Initially, the church was a small vaulted gallery-tomb of the Kyurikid kings, erected in 1185. In 1209, it was expanded to the west.
The Haghpat bell tower is considered to be the earliest example of this kind of structures in the territory of Armenia. The bell tower looks like a high three-tiered tower with small aisles located at different levels.
On the high level of development of civil architecture in Armenia XI-XIII Art. evidenced by the book depository of Haghpat, built in the middle of the XI century. Of particular interest is also a building of rare architectural composition - the refectory of Haghpat in the middle of the 13th century.
Located on a high plateau among low buildings, the Haghpat Monastery stands out well against the background of the wooded slopes of the Bazum Range. The ensemble is complemented by small churches erected near it.
