Kaptavank - Surb Minas

Kaptavank or Sub Minas monastery - is located in the village of Kaputan, Kotayk region of Armenia, a hill on the left side of the pass between the Hatis and Gutanasar mountains, at an altitude of 1800 m above sea level. Compositionally, the church is a type of three-storey church-tomb. The Church of Surb Minas was erected in 1349 with purely hewn stones of blue basalt, possibly hence its other name Kapuyt Vank or Kaptavank (Blue Monastery). Unlike other similar types of monuments, the church stands out for its simplicity, severity and minimalism of decoration.

According to the description of Bishop Hovhannes Shahatunyants, in 1839 the church was in relatively good condition. The Surb Minas Church or Kaputavank is one of those monuments that appeared in Armenian Christian religious architecture only in the first half of the 14th century. and combined three purposes, the tomb - the church - the bell tower. The first floor of the church is rectangular in plan (6.6 x 4.8 m), the second is cruciform, topped with a dome with a pointed end - vegar. The western entrance, cantilever and wooden steps located on both sides of it, led to the second floor.

In 1679, during an earthquake, the church was partially damaged, and in the 1920s-80s. it was already in a dilapidated state. In 1981-1983 the church was restored according to the project of the architect G. Kafadaryan. To the north of the Kaputavank church, at a distance of 500 m is the Tukh Manuk sanctuary. To the south of the church, there are tombstones, and on the hillside there are khachkars and many graveyard stones.

Photo By: Mihran Mkrtchayn & Artur Martirosyan