Location

The chapel of the Mataghis village cemetery is located south-west of the village, on the left bank of the Tartar River. Currently, the village of Mataghis is occupied by Azerbaijan.

		<img src="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Cemeterys-chapel.jpg?v=1644830826" width="1354" height="527" srcset="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Cemeterys-chapel.jpg?v=1644830826 1354w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Cemeterys-chapel-300x117.jpg?v=1644830826 300w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Cemeterys-chapel-1024x399.jpg?v=1644830826 1024w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Cemeterys-chapel-768x299.jpg?v=1644830826 768w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Cemeterys-chapel-370x144.jpg?v=1644830826 370w" sizes="(max-width: 1354px) 100vw, 1354px" title="Cemetery’s chapel" alt="" loading="lazy" 		class="so-widget-image"/>

		<img src="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/001-1-1.jpg?v=1644828733" width="1158" height="868" srcset="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/001-1-1.jpg?v=1644828733 1158w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/001-1-1-300x225.jpg?v=1644828733 300w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/001-1-1-1024x768.jpg?v=1644828733 1024w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/001-1-1-768x576.jpg?v=1644828733 768w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/001-1-1-370x277.jpg?v=1644828733 370w" sizes="(max-width: 1158px) 100vw, 1158px" title="Fig. 1 General view of the chapel and the cemetery, Photo from the Certificate of the Ministry of ESCS of the AR." alt="" loading="lazy" 		class="so-widget-image"/>

Fig. 1 General view of the chapel and the cemetery, Photo from the Certificate of the Ministry of ESCS of the AR.

Historical Overview

The cemetery of the village Mataghis dates back to the 19th and 20th centuries, but the presence of a chapel-church on the site, a number of tombstones and uncut stones on graves suggest that the cemetery was built in the vicinity of a former sanctuary (Figs. 2, 3).

		<img src="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/02-1.jpg?v=1644828823" width="1089" height="817" srcset="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/02-1.jpg?v=1644828823 1089w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/02-1-300x225.jpg?v=1644828823 300w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/02-1-1024x768.jpg?v=1644828823 1024w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/02-1-768x576.jpg?v=1644828823 768w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/02-1-370x278.jpg?v=1644828823 370w" sizes="(max-width: 1089px) 100vw, 1089px" title="Fig. 2 The western front of the chapel. Photo from the Certificate of the Ministry of ESCS of the AR." alt="" loading="lazy" 		class="so-widget-image"/>

Fig. 2 The western front of the chapel. Photo from the Certificate of the Ministry of ESCS of the AR.

		<img src="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/003-768x575.jpg?v=1644316576" width="768" height="575" srcset="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/003-768x575.jpg?v=1644316576 768w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/003-300x225.jpg?v=1644316576 300w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/003-1024x767.jpg?v=1644316576 1024w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/003-370x277.jpg?v=1644316576 370w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/003.jpg?v=1644316576 1085w" sizes="(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" title="Fig. 3 The interior of the chapel. Photo from the Certificate of the Ministry of ESCS of the AR." alt="" loading="lazy" 		class="so-widget-image"/>

Fig. 3 The interior of the chapel. Photo from the Certificate of the Ministry of ESCS of the AR.

The chapel does not have an exact date. According to the Certificate of Preservation of Monuments of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of the Artsakh Republic, it is not excluded that the chapel was built in the 12th-13th centuries (Figs. 4, 5).

Makar Barkhudaryants, who described the village of Mataghis and its church, does not mention the chapel of the cemetery (Barkhudariants 1895, 231).

		<img src="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/04-1-768x575.jpg?v=1644828966" width="768" height="575" srcset="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/04-1-768x575.jpg?v=1644828966 768w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/04-1-300x225.jpg?v=1644828966 300w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/04-1-1024x767.jpg?v=1644828966 1024w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/04-1-370x277.jpg?v=1644828966 370w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/04-1.jpg?v=1644828966 1088w" sizes="(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" title="Fig. 4 The old cemetery of Mataghis. Photo from the Certificate of the Ministry of ESCS of the AR." alt="" loading="lazy" 		class="so-widget-image"/>

Fig. 4 The old cemetery of Mataghis. Photo from the Certificate of the Ministry of ESCS of the AR.

		<img src="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/05-1.jpg?v=1644829014" width="1086" height="815" srcset="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/05-1.jpg?v=1644829014 1086w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/05-1-300x225.jpg?v=1644829014 300w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/05-1-1024x768.jpg?v=1644829014 1024w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/05-1-768x576.jpg?v=1644829014 768w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/05-1-370x278.jpg?v=1644829014 370w" sizes="(max-width: 1086px) 100vw, 1086px" title="Fig. 5 The chapel and the old tombstones. Photo from the Certificate of the Ministry of ESCS of the AR." alt="" loading="lazy" 		class="so-widget-image"/>

Fig. 5 The chapel and the old tombstones. Photo from the Certificate of the Ministry of ESCS of the AR.

Architectural-Compositional Description

The chapel is a single-nave vaulted building, built of local gray, rough and semi-hewn big and small stones with lime mortar, it had a two-pitch roof. The only entrance is from the west. The only window is on the east side. The height of the chapel is 4.5 meters, inside it measures 3.8x2.23 meters.

The State of the Church before and after the War

The church was not damaged during the Artsakh wars. There is no information about the chapel after the occupation of Mataghis village.

 Bibliography

1․Barkhudariants 1895 - Barkhudariants M.  Artsakh, Baku.

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Location

The Church of the Holy Virgin is located in the center of the village of Aknaghbyur (previously Gharabulagh) of the region of Askeran in the Artsakh Republic. The village in now under Azerbaijani occupation.

		<img src="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Tr-Aknagpur-Acc.jpg?v=1644319914" width="1355" height="462" srcset="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Tr-Aknagpur-Acc.jpg?v=1644319914 1355w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Tr-Aknagpur-Acc-300x102.jpg?v=1644319914 300w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Tr-Aknagpur-Acc-1024x349.jpg?v=1644319914 1024w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Tr-Aknagpur-Acc-768x262.jpg?v=1644319914 768w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Tr-Aknagpur-Acc-370x126.jpg?v=1644319914 370w" sizes="(max-width: 1355px) 100vw, 1355px" title="Tr Aknagpur Acc" alt="" loading="lazy" 		class="so-widget-image"/>

Historical Overview

There is no historical information about the church. Describing Gharabulagh, Makar Barkhudariants notes: “The Church of the Holy Virgin, made from limestone, is in danger…” (Barkhudariants 1895, 95). In his voluminous work Shahen Mkrtchian only mentions this church (Mkrtchian 1985, 207).

Architectural-Compositional Description

The church is a three-nave building with a rectangular plan. It has a wooden ceiling, a little part of which has been preserved, that rested on stone wall columns and the central wooden column, just like the churches of the 19th century of the Ararat Valley. Taking into consideration this circumstance and the architectural solution of the southern entrance, one can suppose that the church was built at the end of the 18th century or the beginning of the 19th century. It is built with the local white limestone (fig. 1). The walls are built with hewn and semi-hewn big and small stones. The entrances and their lintels, the corners of the church, as well as small windows are also made from hewn stones. The church had two entrances at the west and the south. Later the western one was closed and transformed into a window. On the eastern side the church has three windows (fig. 2).

		<img src="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/001.jpg?v=1644316254" width="1195" height="896" srcset="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/001.jpg?v=1644316254 1195w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/001-300x225.jpg?v=1644316254 300w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/001-1024x768.jpg?v=1644316254 1024w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/001-768x576.jpg?v=1644316254 768w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/001-370x277.jpg?v=1644316254 370w" sizes="(max-width: 1195px) 100vw, 1195px" title="Fig. 1 The general view of the church from the west, photo from the Certificate of the Ministry of ESCS of the AR." alt="" loading="lazy" 		class="so-widget-image"/>

Fig. 1 The general view of the church from the west, photo from the Certificate of the Ministry of ESCS of the AR.

The old cemetery of the village is surrounding the church (fig. 3, 4), with its grave-stones of mainly 18th-20th centuries (Ghahramanian 2015, 30).

The State of the Church before and after the War

The church was not damaged during the Artsakh war. Before the war of 2020 it was already in a badly wrecked state. The walls have great fissures and crumbled parts. During the Soviet years the partly damaged church was reconstructed and used for practical needs. The western entrance was closed and transformed into a big window, while the demolished cupola was replaced by a roof which rests in the center on wooden columns, simply erected on the pavement (fig. 5).

After the war of 2020 and the occupation of the village, there is no information about the church.

		<img src="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/004-768x576.jpg?v=1644316628" width="768" height="576" srcset="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/004-768x576.jpg?v=1644316628 768w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/004-300x225.jpg?v=1644316628 300w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/004-1024x768.jpg?v=1644316628 1024w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/004-370x278.jpg?v=1644316628 370w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/004.jpg?v=1644316628 1093w" sizes="(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" title="Fig. 4 General view of the church and the cemetery from the north, photo from the Certificate of the Ministry of ESCS of the AR." alt="" loading="lazy" 		class="so-widget-image"/>

Fig. 4 General view of the church and the cemetery from the north, photo from the Certificate of the Ministry of ESCS of the AR.

		<img src="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/002.jpg?v=1644316284" width="1088" height="815" srcset="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/002.jpg?v=1644316284 1088w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/002-300x225.jpg?v=1644316284 300w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/002-1024x767.jpg?v=1644316284 1024w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/002-768x575.jpg?v=1644316284 768w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/002-370x277.jpg?v=1644316284 370w" sizes="(max-width: 1088px) 100vw, 1088px" title="Fig. 2 The eastern front of the church, photo from the Certificate of the Ministry of ESCS of the AR." alt="" loading="lazy" 		class="so-widget-image"/>

Fig. 2 The eastern front of the church, photo from the Certificate of the Ministry of ESCS of the AR.

		<img src="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/003-768x575.jpg?v=1644316576" width="768" height="575" srcset="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/003-768x575.jpg?v=1644316576 768w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/003-300x225.jpg?v=1644316576 300w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/003-1024x767.jpg?v=1644316576 1024w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/003-370x277.jpg?v=1644316576 370w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/003.jpg?v=1644316576 1085w" sizes="(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" title="Fig. 3 Grave-stones with inscriptions near the church, photo from the Certificate of the Ministry of ESCS of the AR." alt="" loading="lazy" 		class="so-widget-image"/>

Fig. 3 Grave-stones with inscriptions near the church, photo from the Certificate of the Ministry of ESCS of the AR.

		<img src="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/005.jpg?v=1644316676" width="1086" height="814" srcset="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/005.jpg?v=1644316676 1086w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/005-300x225.jpg?v=1644316676 300w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/005-1024x768.jpg?v=1644316676 1024w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/005-768x576.jpg?v=1644316676 768w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/005-370x277.jpg?v=1644316676 370w" sizes="(max-width: 1086px) 100vw, 1086px" title="Fig. 5 The interior of the church, photo from the Certificate of the Ministry of ESCS of the AR." alt="" loading="lazy" 		class="so-widget-image"/>

Fig. 5 The interior of the church, photo from the Certificate of the Ministry of ESCS of the AR.

 Bibliograpy

Barkhudariants 1895 - Barkhudariants M. Artsakh, Baku.

Ghahramanian 2015 - Ghahramanian H., Directory of socio-economic characteristics of the administrative-territorial units of the Artsakh Republic. Yerevan, Jartaraget.

Mkrtchian 1985 - Historical and Architectural Monuments of Nagorno Karabakh, Yerevan.

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<meta property="og:description" content="Location The Church of the Holy Virgin is located in the center of the village of Aknaghbyur (previously Gharabulagh) of the region of Askeran in the Artsakh Republic. The village in now under Azerbaijani occupation. Historical Overview There is no historical information about the church. Describing Gharabulagh, Makar Barkhudariants notes: “The Church of the Holy Virgin, made from limestone, is in danger…” (Barkhudariants 1895, 95). In his voluminous work Shahen Mkrtchian only mentions this church (Mkrtchian 1985, 207). Architectural-Compositional Description The church is a three-nave building with a rectangular plan. It has a wooden ceiling, a little part of which has been preserved, that rested on stone wall columns and the central wooden column, just like the churches of the 19th century of the Ararat Valley. Taking into consideration this circumstance and the architectural solution of the southern entrance, one can suppose that the church was built at the end of the 18th century or the beginning of the 19th century. It is built with the local white limestone (fig. 1). The walls are built with hewn and semi-hewn big and small stones. The entrances and their lintels, the corners of the church, as well as small windows are also made from hewn stones. The church had two entrances at the west and the south. Later the western one was closed and transformed into a window. On the eastern side the church has three windows (fig. 2). The old cemetery of the village is surrounding the church (fig. 3, 4), with its grave-stones of mainly 18th-20th centuries (Ghahramanian 2015, 30). The State of the Church before and after the War The church was not damaged during the Artsakh war. Before the war of 2020 it was already in a badly wrecked state. The walls have great fissures and crumbled parts. During the Soviet years the partly damaged church was reconstructed and used for practical needs. The western entrance was closed and transformed into a big window, while the demolished cupola was replaced by a roof which rests in the center on wooden columns, simply erected on the pavement (fig. 5). After the war of 2020 and the occupation of the village, there is no information about the church.  " />
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Location

The Grigor Narekatsi Church (fig. 1) is located on a hill about one km to the west of Drakhtik village, Hadrut region. The name Narekavank is more common among the locals. Drakhtik has been under Azerbaijani occupation since October 2020.

		<img src="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Tr_Narekaci.jpg" width="1355" height="554" srcset="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Tr_Narekaci.jpg 1355w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Tr_Narekaci-300x123.jpg 300w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Tr_Narekaci-1024x419.jpg 1024w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Tr_Narekaci-768x314.jpg 768w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Tr_Narekaci-370x151.jpg 370w" sizes="(max-width: 1355px) 100vw, 1355px" alt="" loading="lazy" 		class="so-widget-image"/>

		<img src="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/001-3-1536x864-2.jpg?v=1646397564" width="1536" height="864" srcset="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/001-3-1536x864-2.jpg?v=1646397564 1536w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/001-3-1536x864-2-300x169.jpg?v=1646397564 300w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/001-3-1536x864-2-1024x576.jpg?v=1646397564 1024w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/001-3-1536x864-2-768x432.jpg?v=1646397564 768w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/001-3-1536x864-2-370x208.jpg?v=1646397564 370w" sizes="(max-width: 1536px) 100vw, 1536px" title="Fig. 1 The general view of the church from the east, 2014, photo by G. Budaghian." alt="" loading="lazy" 		class="so-widget-image"/>

Fig. 1 The general view of the church from the east, 2014, photo by G. Budaghian.

Historical Overview

The Drakhtik village is located 24 kilometers away from the city of Hadrut. M․ Barkhudariants mentions about the village: “The inhabitants are natives” (Barkhudariants 1895, 58).

Architectural-Compositional Examination

It is a single-nave hall with a rectangular plan. It is 13 meters long, 8 meters wide, 4 meters high. The building ends inside with a semicircular apse. The cupola rests on arches rising from three pairs of wall columns. It has a two sloped roof in outside. The only entrance opens from the west. The light comes from the windows that are opened in the west and the east walls. The western facade is decorated with four khachkars (fig. 2, 3), a phenomenon that is especially typical of the church building of the 17th-18th centuries. Inside the church there are several small khachkars fixed to the walls, there are also khachkar sculptures on the columns and arches (fig. 4, 5). The date of construction of the church: ՌՂԴ։(1645) is preserved on one of the hewn stones surrounding the entrance (fig. 6) and on the north central wall column inside the church (fig. 7).

An old cemetery is surrounding the church.

		<img src="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/002-1-1536x864-2.jpg?v=1646397545" width="1536" height="864" srcset="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/002-1-1536x864-2.jpg?v=1646397545 1536w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/002-1-1536x864-2-300x169.jpg?v=1646397545 300w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/002-1-1536x864-2-1024x576.jpg?v=1646397545 1024w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/002-1-1536x864-2-768x432.jpg?v=1646397545 768w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/002-1-1536x864-2-370x208.jpg?v=1646397545 370w" sizes="(max-width: 1536px) 100vw, 1536px" title="Fig. 2 The khachkars of the eastern wall, 2020, photo by G․ Budaghian" alt="" loading="lazy" 		class="so-widget-image"/>

Fig. 2 The khachkars of the eastern wall, 2020, photo by G․ Budaghian

		<img src="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/003-1-768x1024-2.jpg?v=1646397525" width="768" height="1024" srcset="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/003-1-768x1024-2.jpg?v=1646397525 768w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/003-1-768x1024-2-225x300.jpg?v=1646397525 225w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/003-1-768x1024-2-278x370.jpg?v=1646397525 278w" sizes="(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" title="Fig. 3 One of the khachkars of the eastern wall, 2020, photo by G. Budaghian." alt="" loading="lazy" 		class="so-widget-image"/>

Fig. 3 One of the khachkars of the eastern wall, 2020, photo by G. Budaghian.

		<img src="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/005-1-scaled-2.jpg?v=1646397488" width="1440" height="2560" srcset="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/005-1-scaled-2.jpg?v=1646397488 1440w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/005-1-scaled-2-169x300.jpg?v=1646397488 169w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/005-1-scaled-2-576x1024.jpg?v=1646397488 576w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/005-1-scaled-2-768x1365.jpg?v=1646397488 768w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/005-1-scaled-2-864x1536.jpg?v=1646397488 864w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/005-1-scaled-2-1152x2048.jpg?v=1646397488 1152w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/005-1-scaled-2-208x370.jpg?v=1646397488 208w" sizes="(max-width: 1440px) 100vw, 1440px" title="Fig. 5 The khachkars fixed on the Eastern window, 2020, photo by G. Budaghian." alt="" loading="lazy" 		class="so-widget-image"/>

Fig. 5 The khachkars fixed on the Eastern window, 2020, photo by G. Budaghian.

The State of the Church Before, During and After the War

During the first Artsakh war, the eastern wall of the church and a part of the cupola were damaged by enemy shelling (fig. 8). The church has not suffered from the military operations of 2020, there is no information about the post-war state.

		<img src="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/004-1-768x1024-2.jpg?v=1646397504" width="768" height="1024" srcset="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/004-1-768x1024-2.jpg?v=1646397504 768w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/004-1-768x1024-2-225x300.jpg?v=1646397504 225w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/004-1-768x1024-2-278x370.jpg?v=1646397504 278w" sizes="(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" title="Fig. 4 Cross sculptures on the arch, 2020, photo by G. Budaghian." alt="" loading="lazy" 		class="so-widget-image"/>

Fig. 4 Cross sculptures on the arch, 2020, photo by G. Budaghian.

		<img src="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/006-768x1024-2.jpg?v=1646397465" width="768" height="1024" srcset="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/006-768x1024-2.jpg?v=1646397465 768w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/006-768x1024-2-225x300.jpg?v=1646397465 225w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/006-768x1024-2-278x370.jpg?v=1646397465 278w" sizes="(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" title="Fig. 6 The date of the church construction on the entrance hewn stone, 2020, photo by G. Budaghian." alt="" loading="lazy" 		class="so-widget-image"/>

Fig. 6 The date of the church construction on the entrance hewn stone, 2020, photo by G. Budaghian.

		<img src="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/007-1-1536x2048-2.jpg?v=1646397449" width="1536" height="2048" srcset="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/007-1-1536x2048-2.jpg?v=1646397449 1536w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/007-1-1536x2048-2-225x300.jpg?v=1646397449 225w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/007-1-1536x2048-2-768x1024.jpg?v=1646397449 768w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/007-1-1536x2048-2-1152x1536.jpg?v=1646397449 1152w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/007-1-1536x2048-2-278x370.jpg?v=1646397449 278w" sizes="(max-width: 1536px) 100vw, 1536px" title="Fig. 7 The northern wall column, 2020, photo by G. Budaghian." alt="" loading="lazy" 		class="so-widget-image"/>

Fig. 7 The northern wall column, 2020, photo by G. Budaghian.

		<img src="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/008-1-1536x2048-2.jpg?v=1646397424" width="1536" height="2048" srcset="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/008-1-1536x2048-2.jpg?v=1646397424 1536w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/008-1-1536x2048-2-225x300.jpg?v=1646397424 225w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/008-1-1536x2048-2-768x1024.jpg?v=1646397424 768w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/008-1-1536x2048-2-1152x1536.jpg?v=1646397424 1152w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/008-1-1536x2048-2-278x370.jpg?v=1646397424 278w" sizes="(max-width: 1536px) 100vw, 1536px" title="Fig. 8 The ruined part of the church, 2014, photo by G. Budaghian." alt="" loading="lazy" 		class="so-widget-image"/>

Fig. 8 The ruined part of the church, 2014, photo by G. Budaghian.

Bibliograpy

Barkhudariants 1895 - Barkhudariants M. Artsakh, Baku.

Mkrtchian Sh., Historical and Architectural Monuments of Nagorno Karabakh, Yerevan, 1985.

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<meta property="og:description" content="Location The Grigor Narekatsi Church (fig. 1) is located on a hill about one km to the west of Drakhtik village, Hadrut region. The name Narekavank is more common among the locals. Drakhtik has been under Azerbaijani occupation since October 2020. Historical Overview The Drakhtik village is located 24 kilometers away from the city of Hadrut. M․ Barkhudariants mentions about the village: “The inhabitants are natives” (Barkhudariants 1895, 58). Architectural-Compositional Examination It is a single-nave hall with a rectangular plan. It is 13 meters long, 8 meters wide, 4 meters high. The building ends inside with a semicircular apse. The cupola rests on arches rising from three pairs of wall columns. It has a two sloped roof in outside. The only entrance opens from the west. The light comes from the windows that are opened in the west and the east walls. The western facade is decorated with four khachkars (fig. 2, 3), a phenomenon that is especially typical of the church building of the 17th-18th centuries. Inside the church there are several small khachkars fixed to the walls, there are also khachkar sculptures on the columns and arches (fig. 4, 5). The date of construction of the church: ՌՂԴ։(1645) is preserved on one of the hewn stones surrounding the entrance (fig. 6) and on the north central wall column inside the church (fig. 7). An old cemetery is surrounding the church. The State of the Church Before, During and After the War During the first Artsakh war, the eastern wall of the church and a part of the cupola were damaged by enemy shelling (fig. 8). The church has not suffered from the military operations of 2020, there is no information about the post-war state." />
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Location

The historical village of Stunis is located 2 km south of the village of Ghushchi (Tandzut) in the Kashatagh region (Lachin region) of the Artsakh Republic, on the left bank the Stunis, right inflow of the Aghavnaget River, on its south-eastern gorge.

Stunis was first mentioned among the tax-paying villages of Tatev Monastery, and in the 19th century the Kurds settled here, calling the village Sadinlar (Karapetian 1999, 139). The village has been uninhabited since the 1990s. The church is located in the upper part of the village, surrounded by ruined houses (fig. 1).

		<img src="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Tr-Stunis-2.jpg?v=1630952167" width="1357" height="510" srcset="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Tr-Stunis-2.jpg?v=1630952167 1357w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Tr-Stunis-2-300x113.jpg?v=1630952167 300w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Tr-Stunis-2-1024x385.jpg?v=1630952167 1024w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Tr-Stunis-2-768x289.jpg?v=1630952167 768w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Tr-Stunis-2-370x139.jpg?v=1630952167 370w" sizes="(max-width: 1357px) 100vw, 1357px" title="Tr Stunis 2" alt="" loading="lazy" 		class="so-widget-image"/>

		<img src="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/001-2.jpg?v=1630918140" width="744" height="558" srcset="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/001-2.jpg?v=1630918140 744w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/001-2-300x225.jpg?v=1630918140 300w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/001-2-370x278.jpg?v=1630918140 370w" sizes="(max-width: 744px) 100vw, 744px" title="Fig. 1 General view of the church, photo by M. Khumaryan." alt="" loading="lazy" 		class="so-widget-image"/>

Fig. 1 General view of the church, photo by M. Khumaryan.

Historical Overview

There is no historical information about the church.

Architectural-Compositional Description

The church is a three-nave basilica with cylindrical vaults, which are taken under a two-pitch roof. The prayer hall ends in the east with a semicircular apse with single sacristies next to it from the south and the north. The walls are lined with large and small rough stones and lime mortar. Fragments of tombstones, khachkars and carved stones of different periods are embedded in the walls, both outside and inside. In its plan and spatial volumetric composition, it is similar to the churches of Mirik, Hak and Herik, and is a 17th-century structure like these. Inside the church, on one of the columns near the entrance, there is a damaged Armenian inscription. The church is plastered inside. The only entrance to the church is on the south side (fig. 2). Large rectangular windows open on the western, southern and eastern fronts (fig. 3). This was possibly done in the 19th century or is not excluded during the Soviet years, when the church, like the Armenian churches in other villages, was turned into a warehouse.

		<img src="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/002-2.jpg?v=1630918455" width="744" height="558" srcset="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/002-2.jpg?v=1630918455 744w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/002-2-300x225.jpg?v=1630918455 300w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/002-2-370x278.jpg?v=1630918455 370w" sizes="(max-width: 744px) 100vw, 744px" title="Fig. 2 The main entrance of the church, photo by M. Khumaryan." alt="" loading="lazy" 		class="so-widget-image"/>

Fig. 2 The main entrance of the church, photo by M. Khumaryan.

		<img src="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/003-2.jpg?v=1630918595" width="744" height="558" srcset="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/003-2.jpg?v=1630918595 744w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/003-2-300x225.jpg?v=1630918595 300w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/003-2-370x278.jpg?v=1630918595 370w" sizes="(max-width: 744px) 100vw, 744px" title="Fig. 3 The western facade of the church, photo by M. Khumaryan." alt="" loading="lazy" 		class="so-widget-image"/>

Fig. 3 The western facade of the church, photo by M. Khumaryan.

The description of the church was done on the basis of a video made by Meruzhan Khumaryan in November 2020 in the village of Stunis, particularly in the area of the church (video 1, 2).

Video 1 The church from outside and inside, author. M. Khumaryan.

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Video 2 Stunis village and church, author M. Khumaryan.

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The State Before and After the War

The church was not damaged during the Artsakh wars.

There is no information about the monument after the Azeri occupation of the Kashatagh region in December 2020.

Bibliography

Karapetyan 1999 – Karapetian S., Monuments of Armenian Culture in the Regions Occupied by Soviet Azerbaijan, Yerevan.

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<meta property="og:description" content="Location The historical village of Stunis is located 2 km south of the village of Ghushchi (Tandzut) in the Kashatagh region (Lachin region) of the Artsakh Republic, on the left bank the Stunis, right inflow of the Aghavnaget River, on its south-eastern gorge. Stunis was first mentioned among the tax-paying villages of Tatev Monastery, and in the 19th century the Kurds settled here, calling the village Sadinlar (Karapetian 1999, 139). The village has been uninhabited since the 1990s. The church is located in the upper part of the village, surrounded by ruined houses (fig. 1). Historical Overview There is no historical information about the church. Architectural-Compositional Description The church is a three-nave basilica with cylindrical vaults, which are taken under a two-pitch roof. The prayer hall ends in the east with a semicircular apse with single sacristies next to it from the south and the north. The walls are lined with large and small rough stones and lime mortar. Fragments of tombstones, khachkars and carved stones of different periods are embedded in the walls, both outside and inside. In its plan and spatial volumetric composition, it is similar to the churches of Mirik, Hak and Herik, and is a 17th-century structure like these. Inside the church, on one of the columns near the entrance, there is a damaged Armenian inscription. The church is plastered inside. The only entrance to the church is on the south side (fig. 2). Large rectangular windows open on the western, southern and eastern fronts (fig. 3). This was possibly done in the 19th century or is not excluded during the Soviet years, when the church, like the Armenian churches in other villages, was turned into a warehouse." />
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Location

The Kusanats hermitaget is located on the south-eastern side of Avetaranots (Chanakhchi) village in the Askeran region of Artsakh Republic, on a steep promontory. Avetaranots village is one of the oldest and most famous villages in Artsakh, it was the seat of meliks. In memoirs and historical colophons it is mostly cited from the 17th-18th centuries and it is mentioned as a village or town. There are numerous historical and cultural monuments in the settlement (fig. 1). Today the village is under the control of the Azerbaijani armed forces. It is about 1200 m above sea level, surrounded by Kirs, Ghevondik and Mavas mountains.

		<img src="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Kus-anapat.jpg?v=1637832994" width="1343" height="555" srcset="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Kus-anapat.jpg?v=1637832994 1343w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Kus-anapat-300x124.jpg?v=1637832994 300w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Kus-anapat-1024x423.jpg?v=1637832994 1024w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Kus-anapat-768x317.jpg?v=1637832994 768w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Kus-anapat-370x153.jpg?v=1637832994 370w" sizes="(max-width: 1343px) 100vw, 1343px" title="Kus anapat" alt="" loading="lazy" 		class="so-widget-image"/>

		<img src="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/001-13-768x512.jpg?v=1637826681" width="768" height="512" srcset="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/001-13-768x512.jpg?v=1637826681 768w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/001-13-300x200.jpg?v=1637826681 300w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/001-13-1024x683.jpg?v=1637826681 1024w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/001-13-1536x1024.jpg?v=1637826681 1536w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/001-13-2048x1365.jpg?v=1637826681 2048w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/001-13-370x247.jpg?v=1637826681 370w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/001-13-272x182.jpg?v=1637826681 272w" sizes="(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" title="Նկ. 1 Ավետարանոց գյուղի ընդհանուր տեսքը՝ դիտված Կուսանաց անապատի կողմից։" alt="" loading="lazy" 		class="so-widget-image"/>

Նկ. 1 Ավետարանոց գյուղի ընդհանուր տեսքը՝ դիտված Կուսանաց անապատի կողմից։

Historical Overview

In his book, Bishop Sarkis Jalalyants mentions a colophon according to which the church of the Kusanats hermitage was built by the virgins Gayane and Hripsime with the support of Father Arakel (Jalaliants 1858, 243). The date of its construction has been preserved on the pediment of the entrance door of the church. The inscription dates back to 1616 “...the church in 1616 (CAI 5, 148). In the early period of the Varanda meliks, a narthex-crypt was added to the church. Here is also the Melik Shahnazarian family crypt, and the hermitage is also known as Gayane Monastery.

Architectural-Compositional Examination

Today, the church, the Shahnazarians' narthex-crypt, and the wall on the western side of the monument are preserved from the Kusanats hermitage (fig. 3). The church has the composition of a three-nave basilica, where the side naves are rather narrow, while the central one, crowned by an apse, is wide. The floor is nearly square (it measures 9.0 x 11.0 m). The prayer hall is illuminated by a door and two windows opening in the western wall (fig. 4), through two small windows on the south side and the one that opens into the apse. The hall is vaulted, with consolidating arches resting on columns with cross-shaped bases. Two of them “stand” freely inside the prayer hall, and the other two, in addition to serving as a support for the arch, have become corner sections of the semicircle of the apse. The church has a pair of sacristies, which crown the end of the side naves. There are niches-windows in the walls of both the apse and the sacristies. On the southern facade of the church there are three tombstones of the 15th-16th centuries, with cross compositions and carvings (fig. 5). Khachkars and tombstones are used in other walls also. The use of these early monuments in the Kusanats hermitage buildings also indicates the existence of a former religious center there. Inside the church, crosses are carved on the arches and columns (fig. 6).

Attached to the west side of the church is a narthex, which has a square floor, like the classical narthexes (6.4 x 6.4 m), but is smaller. The narthex is vaulted. In addition to being a narthex, it is also the family crypt of the Melik Shahnazarians. Here are the tombs and tombstones of Archimandrite Vardapet, Melik Mirza, Melik Hussein, Melik Hovsep and their wives (fig. 7).

Melik Hussein and his daughter Gayane are mentioned in history for their courage and patriotism. The inscription on his tombstone tells the story of Melik Hussein:

“This is the tomb of Melik Shahnazar

Son of Melik Hussein, Date (1736).

These are my words of praise

On Melik Hussein,

Which I write on this tomb.

He was the Lord of the land of Varanda,

And of its 35 villages,

With his table full of bread,

He has mercy on every nation․

His appearance was praiseworthy,

He greatly massacred the nation of Turks,

He fought with the Ottomans,

He gave no tax to the king,

He was a strong wall to the world.

It was in 1709 (Collection of Armenian Inscriptions, 149).

Literary Examination

The issues of location, architecture and dating of the Kusanats hermitage were touched upon by Sh. Mkrtchian (Mkrtchian 1985, 178-180). A brief description of the hermitage can also be found in the Russian edition of the author’s book.

		<img src="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/002-15-scaled.jpg?v=1637826992" width="2560" height="1707" srcset="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/002-15-scaled.jpg?v=1637826992 2560w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/002-15-300x200.jpg?v=1637826992 300w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/002-15-1024x683.jpg?v=1637826992 1024w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/002-15-768x512.jpg?v=1637826992 768w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/002-15-1536x1024.jpg?v=1637826992 1536w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/002-15-2048x1365.jpg?v=1637826992 2048w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/002-15-370x247.jpg?v=1637826992 370w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/002-15-272x182.jpg?v=1637826992 272w" sizes="(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" title="Նկ. 2 Եկեղեցու արևմտյան բարավորի արձանագրությունը, լուս․ Լ․ Կիրակոսյանի:" alt="" loading="lazy" 		class="so-widget-image"/>

Նկ. 2 Եկեղեցու արևմտյան բարավորի արձանագրությունը, լուս․ Լ․ Կիրակոսյանի:

		<img src="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/004-12-scaled.jpg?v=1637827157" width="1707" height="2560" srcset="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/004-12-scaled.jpg?v=1637827157 1707w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/004-12-200x300.jpg?v=1637827157 200w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/004-12-683x1024.jpg?v=1637827157 683w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/004-12-768x1152.jpg?v=1637827157 768w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/004-12-1024x1536.jpg?v=1637827157 1024w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/004-12-1365x2048.jpg?v=1637827157 1365w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/004-12-247x370.jpg?v=1637827157 247w" sizes="(max-width: 1707px) 100vw, 1707px" title="Նկ․ 4 Եկեղեցու արևմտյան պատի ներքնատեսքը։" alt="" loading="lazy" 		class="so-widget-image"/>

Նկ․ 4 Եկեղեցու արևմտյան պատի ներքնատեսքը։

The State of the Church Before, During and After the War

During the Soviet period, a monument was erected in the Kusanats hermitage of Avetaranots to commemorate the people of Chanakh who died in the Great Patriotic War (1940-1945) (fig. 8). After the first Artsakh war, restoration and repair works were carried out in the Kusanats hermitage area. The roofs have been tiled, the area has been improved; in 2013 a monument dedicated to the memory of the Avetaranots heroes, who died in the first Artsakh liberation war, was erected (fig. 9). On October 27, 2020, the village of Avetaranots came under the control of Azerbaijan. On October 7, 2021, a video was spread on the @ararathau telegram channel, where it is clear that the Azerbaijani armed forces have turned the monastery into a place of disorders, they show hostile, disrespectful attitude towards the Armenian heritage, shout, and insult the ritual function of the Armenian Apostolic Church. Acts of hostility and vandalism are done against the tombstones and church furniture. The video also shows that the tombstones have been broken, the whole area has been polluted, the board placed by the state, presenting the monument, has been broken and trampled (fig. 10). (https://monumentwatch.org ):

		<img src="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/008-1-1-scaled.jpg?v=1637828759" width="1707" height="2560" srcset="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/008-1-1-scaled.jpg?v=1637828759 1707w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/008-1-1-200x300.jpg?v=1637828759 200w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/008-1-1-683x1024.jpg?v=1637828759 683w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/008-1-1-768x1152.jpg?v=1637828759 768w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/008-1-1-1024x1536.jpg?v=1637828759 1024w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/008-1-1-1365x2048.jpg?v=1637828759 1365w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/008-1-1-247x370.jpg?v=1637828759 247w" sizes="(max-width: 1707px) 100vw, 1707px" title="Նկ․ 8 Հայրենական Մեծ պատերազմում զոհված չանախչեցիների հիշատակը հավերժացնող հուշարձանը, լուս․ Լ․ Կիրակոսյանի:" alt="" loading="lazy" 		class="so-widget-image"/>

Նկ․ 8 Հայրենական Մեծ պատերազմում զոհված չանախչեցիների հիշատակը հավերժացնող հուշարձանը, լուս․ Լ․ Կիրակոսյանի:

		<img src="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/003-14.jpg?v=1637827045" width="2423" height="1555" srcset="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/003-14.jpg?v=1637827045 2423w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/003-14-300x193.jpg?v=1637827045 300w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/003-14-1024x657.jpg?v=1637827045 1024w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/003-14-768x493.jpg?v=1637827045 768w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/003-14-1536x986.jpg?v=1637827045 1536w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/003-14-2048x1314.jpg?v=1637827045 2048w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/003-14-370x237.jpg?v=1637827045 370w" sizes="(max-width: 2423px) 100vw, 2423px" title="Նկ․ 3 Հուշարձանախմբի հատակագիծը, Мкртчян Ш., Историко-архитектурные памятники Нагорного Карабаха (второе издание), «Парберакан», 1989, Ереван, էջ 138:" alt="" loading="lazy" 		class="so-widget-image"/>

Նկ․ 3 Հուշարձանախմբի հատակագիծը, Мкртчян Ш., Историко-архитектурные памятники Нагорного Карабаха (второе издание), «Парберакан», 1989, Ереван, էջ 138:

		<img src="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/005-11-scaled.jpg?v=1637827497" width="2560" height="1707" srcset="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/005-11-scaled.jpg?v=1637827497 2560w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/005-11-300x200.jpg?v=1637827497 300w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/005-11-1024x683.jpg?v=1637827497 1024w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/005-11-768x512.jpg?v=1637827497 768w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/005-11-1536x1024.jpg?v=1637827497 1536w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/005-11-2048x1365.jpg?v=1637827497 2048w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/005-11-370x247.jpg?v=1637827497 370w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/005-11-272x182.jpg?v=1637827497 272w" sizes="(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" title="Նկ. 5 Եկեղեցու հարավային պատի մեջ ագուցված խաչքարերը, լուս․ Լ․ Կիրակոսյանի:" alt="" loading="lazy" 		class="so-widget-image"/>

Նկ. 5 Եկեղեցու հարավային պատի մեջ ագուցված խաչքարերը, լուս․ Լ․ Կիրակոսյանի:

		<img src="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/006-10-scaled.jpg?v=1637827961" width="1707" height="2560" srcset="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/006-10-scaled.jpg?v=1637827961 1707w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/006-10-200x300.jpg?v=1637827961 200w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/006-10-683x1024.jpg?v=1637827961 683w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/006-10-768x1152.jpg?v=1637827961 768w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/006-10-1024x1536.jpg?v=1637827961 1024w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/006-10-1365x2048.jpg?v=1637827961 1365w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/006-10-247x370.jpg?v=1637827961 247w" sizes="(max-width: 1707px) 100vw, 1707px" title="Նկ. 6 Եկեղեցու թաղի կոշտացնող կամարը, լուս․ Լ․ Կիրակոսյանի:" alt="" loading="lazy" 		class="so-widget-image"/>

Նկ. 6 Եկեղեցու թաղի կոշտացնող կամարը, լուս․ Լ․ Կիրակոսյանի:

		<img src="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/007-4-scaled.jpg?v=1637828331" width="2560" height="1707" srcset="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/007-4-scaled.jpg?v=1637828331 2560w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/007-4-300x200.jpg?v=1637828331 300w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/007-4-1024x683.jpg?v=1637828331 1024w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/007-4-768x512.jpg?v=1637828331 768w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/007-4-1536x1024.jpg?v=1637828331 1536w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/007-4-2048x1365.jpg?v=1637828331 2048w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/007-4-370x247.jpg?v=1637828331 370w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/007-4-272x182.jpg?v=1637828331 272w" sizes="(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" title="Նկ․ 7 Գավթում տեղադրված՝ Մելիք Շահնազարյանների տոհմի ներկայացուցիչների տապանաքարերը, լուս․ Լ․ Կիրակոսյանի:" alt="" loading="lazy" 		class="so-widget-image"/>

Նկ․ 7 Գավթում տեղադրված՝ Մելիք Շահնազարյանների տոհմի ներկայացուցիչների տապանաքարերը, լուս․ Լ․ Կիրակոսյանի:

		<img src="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/009-1-Copy-scaled.jpg?v=1637828938" width="2560" height="1707" srcset="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/009-1-Copy-scaled.jpg?v=1637828938 2560w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/009-1-Copy-300x200.jpg?v=1637828938 300w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/009-1-Copy-1024x683.jpg?v=1637828938 1024w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/009-1-Copy-768x512.jpg?v=1637828938 768w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/009-1-Copy-1536x1024.jpg?v=1637828938 1536w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/009-1-Copy-2048x1365.jpg?v=1637828938 2048w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/009-1-Copy-370x247.jpg?v=1637828938 370w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/009-1-Copy-272x182.jpg?v=1637828938 272w" sizes="(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" title="Նկ․ 9 Արցախյան առաջին ազատամարտում նահատակված Ավետարանոցի քաջորդիների հիշատակին նվիրված հուշարձան, լուս․՝  Լ․ Կիրակոսյանի:" alt="" loading="lazy" 		class="so-widget-image"/>

Նկ․ 9 Արցախյան առաջին ազատամարտում նահատակված Ավետարանոցի քաջորդիների հիշատակին նվիրված հուշարձան, լուս․՝  Լ․ Կիրակոսյանի:

		<img src="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/010-2-scaled.jpg?v=1637829073" width="2560" height="1707" srcset="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/010-2-scaled.jpg?v=1637829073 2560w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/010-2-300x200.jpg?v=1637829073 300w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/010-2-1024x683.jpg?v=1637829073 1024w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/010-2-768x512.jpg?v=1637829073 768w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/010-2-1536x1024.jpg?v=1637829073 1536w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/010-2-2048x1365.jpg?v=1637829073 2048w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/010-2-370x247.jpg?v=1637829073 370w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/010-2-272x182.jpg?v=1637829073 272w" sizes="(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" title="Նկ․10 Կուսանաց անապատը ներկայացնող ցուցանակը, լուս․՝ Լ․ Կիրակոսյանի:" alt="" loading="lazy" 		class="so-widget-image"/>

Նկ․10 Կուսանաց անապատը ներկայացնող ցուցանակը, լուս․՝ Լ․ Կիրակոսյանի:

Location The Kusanats hermitaget is located on the south-eastern side of Avetaranots (Chanakhchi) village in the Askeran region of Artsakh Republic, on a steep promontory. Avetaranots village is one of the oldest and most famous villages in Artsakh, it was the seat of meliks. In memoirs and historical colophons it is mostly cited from the 17th-18th centuries and it is mentioned as a village or town. There are numerous historical and cultural monuments in the settlement (fig. 1). Today the village is under the control of the Azerbaijani armed forces. It is about 1200 m above sea level, surrounded by Kirs, Ghevondik and Mavas mountains. Historical Overview In his book, Bishop Sarkis Jalalyants mentions a colophon according to which the church of the Kusanats hermitage was built by the virgins Gayane and Hripsime with the support of Father Arakel (Jalaliants 1858, 243). The date of its construction has been preserved on the pediment of the entrance door of the church. The inscription dates back to 1616 “…the church in 1616 (CAI 5, 148). In the early period of the Varanda meliks, a narthex-crypt was added to the church. Here is also the Melik Shahnazarian family crypt, and the hermitage is also known as Gayane Monastery.   Architectural-Compositional Examination Today, the church, the Shahnazarians’ narthex-crypt, and the wall on the western side of the monument are preserved from the Kusanats hermitage (fig. 3). The church has the composition of a three-nave basilica, where the side naves are rather narrow, while the central one, crowned by an apse, is wide. The floor is nearly square (it measures 9.0 x 11.0 m). The prayer hall is illuminated by a door and two windows opening in the western wall (fig. 4), through two small windows on the south side and the one that opens into the apse. The hall is vaulted, with consolidating arches resting on columns with cross-shaped bases. Two of them “stand” freely inside the prayer hall, and the other two, in addition to serving as a support for the arch, have become corner sections of the semicircle of the apse. The church has a pair of sacristies, which crown the end of the side naves. There are niches-windows in the walls of both the apse and the sacristies. On the southern facade of the church there are three tombstones of the 15th-16th centuries, with cross compositions and carvings (fig. 5). Khachkars and tombstones are used in other walls also. The use of these early monuments in the Kusanats hermitage buildings also indicates the existence of a former religious center there. Inside the church, crosses are carved on the arches and columns (fig. 6). Attached to the west side of the church is a narthex, which has a square floor, like the classical narthexes (6.4 x 6.4 m), but is smaller. The narthex is vaulted. In addition to being a narthex, it is also the family crypt of the Melik Shahnazarians. Here are the tombs and tombstones of Archimandrite Vardapet, Melik Mirza, Melik Hussein, Melik Hovsep and their wives (fig. 7). Melik Hussein and his daughter Gayane are mentioned in history for their courage and patriotism. The inscription on his tombstone tells the story of Melik Hussein: “This is the tomb of Melik Shahnazar Son of Melik Hussein, Date (1736). These are my words of praise On Melik Hussein, Which I write on this tomb. He was the Lord of the land of Varanda, And of its 35 villages, With his table full of bread, He has mercy on every nation․ His appearance was praiseworthy, He greatly massacred the nation of Turks, He fought with the Ottomans, He gave no tax to the king, He was a strong wall to the world. It was in 1709 (Collection of Armenian Inscriptions, 149). Literary Examination The issues of location, architecture and dating of the Kusanats hermitage were touched upon by Sh. Mkrtchian (Mkrtchian 1985, 178-180). A brief description of the hermitage can also be found in the Russian edition of the author’s book. The State of the Church Before, During and After the War During the Soviet period, a monument was erected in the Kusanats hermitage of Avetaranots to commemorate the people of Chanakh who died in the Great Patriotic War (1940-1945) (fig. 8). After the first Artsakh war, restoration and repair works were carried out in the Kusanats hermitage area. The roofs have been tiled, the area has been improved; in 2013 a monument dedicated to the memory of the Avetaranots heroes, who died in the first Artsakh liberation war, was erected (fig. 9). On October 27, 2020, the village of Avetaranots came under the control of Azerbaijan. On October 7, 2021, a video was spread on the @ararathau telegram channel, where it is clear that the Azerbaijani armed forces have turned the monastery into a place of disorders, they show hostile, disrespectful attitude towards the Armenian heritage, shout, and insult the ritual function of the Armenian Apostolic Church. Acts of hostility and vandalism are done against the tombstones and church furniture. The video also shows that the tombstones have been broken, the whole area has been polluted, the board placed by the state, presenting the monument, has been broken and trampled (fig. 10). (https://monumentwatch.org ):

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The date of its construction has been preserved on the pediment of the entrance door of the church. The inscription dates back to 1616 “...the church in 1616 (CAI 5, 148). In the early period of the Varanda meliks, a narthex-crypt was added to the church. Here is also the Melik Shahnazarian family crypt, and the hermitage is also known as Gayane Monastery.   Architectural-Compositional Examination Today, the church, the Shahnazarians' narthex-crypt, and the wall on the western side of the monument are preserved from the Kusanats hermitage (fig. 3). The church has the composition of a three-nave basilica, where the side naves are rather narrow, while the central one, crowned by an apse, is wide. The floor is nearly square (it measures 9.0 x 11.0 m). The prayer hall is illuminated by a door and two windows opening in the western wall (fig. 4), through two small windows on the south side and the one that opens into the apse. The hall is vaulted, with consolidating arches resting on columns with cross-shaped bases. Two of them “stand” freely inside the prayer hall, and the other two, in addition to serving as a support for the arch, have become corner sections of the semicircle of the apse. The church has a pair of sacristies, which crown the end of the side naves. There are niches-windows in the walls of both the apse and the sacristies. On the southern facade of the church there are three tombstones of the 15th-16th centuries, with cross compositions and carvings (fig. 5). Khachkars and tombstones are used in other walls also. The use of these early monuments in the Kusanats hermitage buildings also indicates the existence of a former religious center there. Inside the church, crosses are carved on the arches and columns (fig. 6). Attached to the west side of the church is a narthex, which has a square floor, like the classical narthexes (6.4 x 6.4 m), but is smaller. The narthex is vaulted. In addition to being a narthex, it is also the family crypt of the Melik Shahnazarians. Here are the tombs and tombstones of Archimandrite Vardapet, Melik Mirza, Melik Hussein, Melik Hovsep and their wives (fig. 7). Melik Hussein and his daughter Gayane are mentioned in history for their courage and patriotism. The inscription on his tombstone tells the story of Melik Hussein: “This is the tomb of Melik Shahnazar Son of Melik Hussein, Date (1736). These are my words of praise On Melik Hussein, Which I write on this tomb. He was the Lord of the land of Varanda, And of its 35 villages, With his table full of bread, He has mercy on every nation․ His appearance was praiseworthy, He greatly massacred the nation of Turks, He fought with the Ottomans, He gave no tax to the king, He was a strong wall to the world. It was in 1709 (Collection of Armenian Inscriptions, 149). Literary Examination The issues of location, architecture and dating of the Kusanats hermitage were touched upon by Sh. Mkrtchian (Mkrtchian 1985, 178-180). A brief description of the hermitage can also be found in the Russian edition of the author’s book. The State of the Church Before, During and After the War During the Soviet period, a monument was erected in the Kusanats hermitage of Avetaranots to commemorate the people of Chanakh who died in the Great Patriotic War (1940-1945) (fig. 8). After the first Artsakh war, restoration and repair works were carried out in the Kusanats hermitage area. The roofs have been tiled, the area has been improved; in 2013 a monument dedicated to the memory of the Avetaranots heroes, who died in the first Artsakh liberation war, was erected (fig. 9). On October 27, 2020, the village of Avetaranots came under the control of Azerbaijan. On October 7, 2021, a video was spread on the @ararathau telegram channel, where it is clear that the Azerbaijani armed forces have turned the monastery into a place of disorders, they show hostile, disrespectful attitude towards the Armenian heritage, shout, and insult the ritual function of the Armenian Apostolic Church. Acts of hostility and vandalism are done against the tombstones and church furniture. The video also shows that the tombstones have been broken, the whole area has been polluted, the board placed by the state, presenting the monument, has been broken and trampled (fig. 10). (https://monumentwatch.org ):" />
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Location

The church is located in the village, northeast of the former house of culture.

Historical Overview

According to M. Barkhudariants, the church was built at the end of the 19th century, more precisely in 1894, at the expense of the local population (Barkhudariants 1895, 226, fig. 1).

		<img src="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Tr-Prkich-Talish.jpg?v=1631088393" width="1358" height="577" srcset="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Tr-Prkich-Talish.jpg?v=1631088393 1358w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Tr-Prkich-Talish-300x127.jpg?v=1631088393 300w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Tr-Prkich-Talish-1024x435.jpg?v=1631088393 1024w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Tr-Prkich-Talish-768x326.jpg?v=1631088393 768w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Tr-Prkich-Talish-370x157.jpg?v=1631088393 370w" sizes="(max-width: 1358px) 100vw, 1358px" title="Tr Prkich Talish" alt="" loading="lazy" 		class="so-widget-image"/>

		<img src="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/001-2-2-scaled.jpg?v=1631088964" width="2560" height="1704" srcset="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/001-2-2-scaled.jpg?v=1631088964 2560w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/001-2-2-300x200.jpg?v=1631088964 300w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/001-2-2-1024x681.jpg?v=1631088964 1024w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/001-2-2-768x511.jpg?v=1631088964 768w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/001-2-2-1536x1022.jpg?v=1631088964 1536w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/001-2-2-2048x1363.jpg?v=1631088964 2048w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/001-2-2-370x246.jpg?v=1631088964 370w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/001-2-2-272x182.jpg?v=1631088964 272w" sizes="(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" title="Fig. 1 The general view of the church from the north, photo by S. Danielian." alt="" loading="lazy" 		class="so-widget-image"/>

Fig. 1 The general view of the church from the north, photo by S. Danielian.

Architectural-Compositional Description

The monument is a three-nave basilica built of local polished and rough light brown stones. Arches resting on eight wall columns and four separate pillars divide the chapel into three naves (fig. 2). The columns and arches are made of hewn stones. The baptismal font is built into the western part of the north wall. The dimensions of the monument are 21.75 meters long and 13.1 meters wide.

The church is vaulted; the roof is covered with a sheet of tin tiles. Initially, the church had two doors that opened from the north and south sides (Barkhudariants 1895, 226-227). Later the southern door was closed. The church has three windows on the east, one on the west, two on the north and three on the south.

		<img src="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/002-1-scaled.jpg?v=1631089140" width="2560" height="1703" srcset="https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/002-1-scaled.jpg?v=1631089140 2560w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/002-1-300x200.jpg?v=1631089140 300w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/002-1-1024x681.jpg?v=1631089140 1024w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/002-1-768x511.jpg?v=1631089140 768w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/002-1-1536x1022.jpg?v=1631089140 1536w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/002-1-2048x1363.jpg?v=1631089140 2048w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/002-1-370x246.jpg?v=1631089140 370w, https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/002-1-272x182.jpg?v=1631089140 272w" sizes="(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" title="Fig. 2 The interior of the church from the west, photo by S. Danielian. " alt="" loading="lazy" 		class="so-widget-image"/>

Fig. 2 The interior of the church from the west, photo by S. Danielian.

The State of the Church before, during and after the War

Before the war the church was completely standing. No information is known about the monument during the war or after it.

Bibliographic examination

The church is relatively new, which is why the sources are scarce. Our description is based on the information provided by Makar Barkhudariants and that which is submitted by Certificate of Preservation of Monuments of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of the Artsakh Republic,

Bibliography

1․ Barkhudariants 1895 - Barkhudariants M.  Artsakh, Baku, Aror.

Location The church is located in the village, northeast of the former house of culture. Historical Overview According to M. Barkhudariants, the church was built at the end of the 19th century, more precisely in 1894, at the expense of the local population (Barkhudariants 1895, 226, fig. 1). Architectural-Compositional Description The monument is a three-nave basilica built of local polished and rough light brown stones. Arches resting on eight wall columns and four separate pillars divide the chapel into three naves (fig. 2). The columns and arches are made of hewn stones. The baptismal font is built into the western part of the north wall. The dimensions of the monument are 21.75 meters long and 13.1 meters wide. The church is vaulted; the roof is covered with a sheet of tin tiles. Initially, the church had two doors that opened from the north and south sides (Barkhudariants 1895, 226-227). Later the southern door was closed. The church has three windows on the east, one on the west, two on the north and three on the south.   The State of the Church before, during and after the War Before the war the church was completely standing. No information is known about the monument during the war or after it. Bibliographic examination The church is relatively new, which is why the sources are scarce. Our description is based on the information provided by Makar Barkhudariants and that which is submitted by Certificate of Preservation of Monuments of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of the Artsakh Republic, Bibliography 1․ Barkhudariants 1895 – Barkhudariants M.  Artsakh, Baku, Aror.

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