Hnevank
Encyclopedia
Hnevank is a 7th-12th century Armenian Apostolic Church
Armenian Apostolic Church
The Armenian Apostolic Church is the world's oldest National Church, is part of Oriental Orthodoxy, and is one of the most ancient Christian communities. Armenia was the first country to adopt Christianity as its official religion in 301 AD, in establishing this church...

 monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...

, located near the village of Kurtan
Kurtan
Kurtan is a town in the Lori Province of Armenia.- References :* – World-Gazetteer.com...

 in the Lori Province of Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...

. The monastery is situated on a hill within a gorge, near where the Dzoraget
Dzoraget (river)
The Dzoraget is a river in the Debeda hydrological region in the Lori region in Northern Armenia. It originates in the Bazum Mountains and flows west to east through spectacular gorges around Stepanavan...

 and Gargar rivers join.

The monastery was entirely rebuilt by lord Smbat
Smbat
Smbat, Sambat, Smpad or Sempad may refer to:*Smbat I , Smbat the Martyr, king of Armenia from 890 to 912*Smbat II, king of Armenia from 977 to 990*Smbat III , king of Armenia from 1020 to 1040...

 of the House of Orbelian
Orbelian Dynasty
The Orbelian lords of Syunik were a noble family, documented in inscriptions throughout Vayots Dzor and Syunik, and recorded by the family bishop Stepanos in his 1297 History of Syunik....

, a branch of the Liparitids who were expelled to Armenia in the late 12th century from Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...

. Liparitids were themselves a branch of the Mamikonian
Mamikonian
Mamikonian, Mamikoneans, or Mamigonian was a noble family which dominated Armenian politics between the 4th and 8th century. They ruled the Armenian regions of Taron, Sasun, Bagrevand and others...

s. Smbat was the ancestor of the Armenian princes of Syunik
Syunik
Syunik is the southernmost province of Armenia. It borders the Vayots Dzor marz to the north, Azerbaijan's Nakhchivan exclave to the west, Karabakh to the east, and Iran to the south. Its capital is Kapan. Other important cities and towns include Goris, Sisian, Meghri, Agarak, and Dastakert...

. A Georgian
Georgian language
Georgian is the native language of the Georgians and the official language of Georgia, a country in the Caucasus.Georgian is the primary language of about 4 million people in Georgia itself, and of another 500,000 abroad...

 inscription around the drum attests his name.

The monastery has a gavit
Gavit
A gavit or zhamatun is often contiguous to the west of a church in a Medieval Armenian monastery. It served as narthex , mausoleum and assembly room.-History:...

and various service buildings scattered around the site.

The government of Armenia has recently begun renovating the monastery. The collapsed dome of the main church has been restored entirely.

External links

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