Makaravank Monastery

Makaravank Monastery is located in the Tavush region of Armenia, 3 km southwest of the village of Achajur. X-XIII centuries. For centuries, this Armenian monastery complex has consisted of the main church, the narthex and the 2nd oldest church. according to the inscription on the khachkar, erected to the south of the main church, it was built in 1205. Rectangular on the outside, cruciform on the inside, with two-story sacristy on both sides of the altar has a domed composition built of polished pink andesite stones (the Northwestern niche was later rebuilt into a sacristy). The southern and eastern facades are decorated with a pair of triangular niches (the niches in the northern wall were blocked by the volume of the porch, built later)., the round drum of the dome (the lid is removed) is decorated with a decorative arch of a pair of semi-columns. On the western facade there is a porch with a luxurious ornament, the half-timbered wall of which is lined with colored stones in a checkerboard pattern. The north porch facing the lobby has almost the same design. Under the window of the southern wall of the church there is a bas-relief of an eagle holding a calf in its claws, which is distinguished by high craftsmanship. In the bright and spacious hall of the church, The decoration of the altar with an original solution is very impressive. The semicircular wall of the altar is decorated with 13 concave niches separated from each other by a pair of arched columns. The entire surface of the stage facade is covered with bas-reliefs embedded in octagonal stars and octagonal polygons, which are among the masterpieces of medieval Armenian art. The coat of arms of Vachutyan with the image of a pair of Eagles. The sculptures of the Makaravank fishes are notable for their plasticity and realistic style of execution in medieval Armenian art. On one of the stars is carved a portrait of a church architect (sculptor) with tools in his hands and his name "young".

Gavit - built in 1207 by Prince Vache I. It has an almost square layout, a centripetal composition with four columns, built of polished pink andesite stones. Dynamic bas-reliefs depicting bull, Lion and bull fighting are installed on the west porch. The interior of the porch is especially rich. On the slabs of the base of the dome there are initials of the names of the master builders of the porch.

The second Church (X-XI centuries))- located in the northeast of the complex. Rectangular on the outside, emphasized by a crosspiece inside (with sufficiently deep wings), the building is mainly built of large semi-finished stones of reddish tuff, and in the XIII century the ceiling and dome, rebuilt in the 1st century, of the same polished tuff stones. The main element of the decor is the exquisite floral and geometric ornaments of the stage facade, enclosed in diagonal frames:

The tomb-porch and the ancient church in the north-eastern corner of the complex have been preserved, built of whitish stone with a rectangular layout (XIII century).) walls.

S. Astvatsatsin Church - in the eastern part of the complex there is a composition of the Holy Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, built of large polished stones of pink and reddish andesite, cross-shaped inside (triangular, with a rectangular wing in the West), octagonal outside (the ground floor is round) with a central dome. The Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, built by the leader of Makaravank John in 1198. On the belt, which covers the crowns of windows and fan-shaped semi-conical tops of niches, there are bas-reliefs depicting birds, lions, rosettes, an Eagle and a Dragon fight. Adjacent to the north of the church is a small dilapidated vaulted chapel.

The Makaravank complex, with its originality, richness and variety of ornaments, is among the Akhtamar, Bgen-Noravank, Gandzasar and occupies an important place in Armenian architecture.

Photo By: Cosmo Deus