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Saghmosavank Monastery

Aragatsotn, Armenia ★★★★☆ 167 views
Monica Pataky
Aragatsotn
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About Saghmosavank Monastery

Saghmosavank Monastery - Aragatsotn | Secret World Trip Planner

The main church of the complex -Surb Sion is erected in 1215 by Prince Vace Vaciutyan on the place where in the first centuries of Christianity there was hermitage. The church similar to Hovhannavank, belongs to the type of domed cruciform churches.

Saghmosavank Monastery - Aragatsotn | Secret World Trip Planner

The monastic complex includes a sapient gavit (narthex) (1250) and a book depository (1255) which is added to the small church of Astvatsatsin (1235). The enormous volume inside the monastery makes us admit that the church served for rewriting books in addition to the preservation of manuscripts.

On the upper part of the altar apse there is a relief image of the rising sun with rays, above - a bas-relief of a flying lamb and the coat of arms of Vaciutyan: an eagle with a lamb in its talons.

In the monastic enclosure, as well as inside the complex there are preserved sepulchral monuments, some in the style of ornamented khatckar. One can enjoy an expressive view of the monastery from the opposite bank of the river Kassakh.

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Frequently Asked Questions

The main church, Surb Sion, was erected in 1215 by Prince Vace Vaciutyan on the site of an earlier Christian hermitage from the first centuries of Christianity. The monastic complex was expanded over several decades with the addition of a gavit (narthex) in 1250 and a book depository in 1255.
The monastery features a domed cruciform church design similar to Hovhannavank, and includes notable relief carvings on the altar apse such as a rising sun with rays, a flying lamb, and Vaciutyan's coat of arms depicting an eagle holding a lamb. The sapient gavit and book depository showcase the monastery's historical importance as a center for manuscript preservation and copying.
The book depository, added in 1255, served dual purposes: preserving valuable manuscripts and facilitating the rewriting and copying of books. The enormous interior volume of the complex indicates it functioned as a scriptorium where monks could work on transcribing texts in addition to maintaining an archive of important religious and literary works.
The monastic enclosure and interior complex contain preserved sepulchral monuments, many featuring the distinctive style of ornamented khatckars (carved stone crosses), which are unique to Armenian architectural tradition. These monuments provide insight into the monastery's role as a burial site for important religious and noble figures.
For an expressive and picturesque view of the monastery, visit the opposite bank of the river Kassakh where you can capture the entire complex against the landscape. This elevated vantage point provides the most dramatic perspective of the monastery's architecture and its relationship to the surrounding terrain.
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