Tatev
Encyclopedia
The Monastery of Tatev is a 9th century Armenian monastery
located in the Tatev village
in Syunik Province in southern Armenia
. The term "Tatev" usually refers to the monastery. It stands on a plateau on the edge of the deep gorge of the Orotan (Vorotan) River. It became the bishopric seat of Syunik and played a significant role in the history of the region as a centre for economic, political, spiritual and cultural activity.
In the 14th and 15th centuries Tatev Monastery hosted one of the most important Armenian medieval universities which contributed to the education of science, religion and philosophy; reproduction of books and development of miniature painting
. Scholars of Tatev University contributed to the preservation of Armenian culture and creed
during one of its most turbulent periods in its history.
, who preached and was martyred in this region. His name has evolved to Tatev.
Another legend tells of an event that is tied to the construction of the main church, where an apprentice secretly climbs to the top of its steeple intending to place a cross of his own design. However, the apprentice is spotted by his master during his descent. Shocked by his discovery, the apprentice loses his foothold and falls into the abyss as he calls upon God to grant him wings, which, in Armenian is: “Ta Tev”.
, in the area of ancient Armenia
n Syunik
, not far from city of Goris
and 280 km away from Yerevan
. The Tatev plateau has been is use since pre-Christian times, hosting a pagan temple. The temple was replaced with a modest church following the Christianization of Armenia in the 4th century.
Development of the Tatev Monastery began in the 9th century when it became the seat of the bishop of Syunik. In his History of the Province of Syunik, historian Stepanos Orbelian
describes the construction of a new church near the old one in 848 through the financial assistance of Prince Phillip of Syunik. With the growth of economic and political importance of the centre, the aging buildings no longer suited its requirements, and thus Bishop Hovhannes (John) obtained the financial assistance of Prince Ashot of Syunik to construct the new monastery.
In the beginning of the 11th century, Tatev hosted around 1,000 monks and a large number of artisans. In 1044, armed forces of neighbouring emirates destroyed the St. Gregory Church and its surrounding buildings, which were reconstructed soon after that. In 1087, the church of St. Mary was built to the north of the complex. The monastery suffered significant damage during Seljuk invasions in the 12th century and the earthquake in 1136. In 1170, Seljuk Turks plundered the Monastery and burnt some 10,000 manuscripts. The Monastery was rebuilt through the efforts of Bishop Stepanos near the end of the 12th century.
The Monastery was granted an exemption from taxes during Mongol rule. It regained its economic strength with the assistance of the Orbelian family. Its influence grew further when, in 1286, the Orbelians
assumed control of the monastery, Stepanos Orbelian
was consecrated metropolitan
and succeeded in reuniting a number of surrounding dioceses within its realm. With the establishment of the university in the 14th century Tatev became a principal centre of Armenian culture.
During Timur Lane’s campaigns into Syunik (1381–1387), Tatev was looted, burnt, and dispossessed of a significant portion of its territories. The Monastery received an additional blow during Shah Rukh’s
invasion in 1434.
. It was reborn in the 17th and 18th centuries; its structures restored and new ones were added. It was looted again during the incursions of Persian forces led by Aga Mahmet Khan in 1796. In 1836, Czarist Russia put an end to the metropolitan authorities of Tatev through the imposition of Pologenia, and Syunik became part of the Diocese of Yerevan.
On 26 April 1921, the 2nd Pan-Zangezurian congress, held in Tatev, announced the independence of the self-governing regions of Daralakyaz (Vayots Dzor), Zangezur, and Mountainous Artsakh, under the name of the Republic of Mountainous Armenia
(Lernahaystani Hanrapetutyun). The state also included the regions of Tatev canyon, Sisian
and Gndevaz. The city of Goris
became the capital of the unrecognized state, and Garegin Nzhdeh was chosen as prime minister and minister of defence. Later, in July, Simon Vratsian
took the office as prime minister while Njdeh became the governor and the general commander.
The monastery was seriously damaged after an earthquake in 1931, the dome of the Sts. Paul and Peter church and the bell tower were destroyed. In the latter years the Sts. Paul and Peter church was reconstructed, but the bell tower remains destroyed up to today.
The Sts. Paul and Peter church was built between 895 and 906. An arched hall was added adjacent to the southern wall of the Sts. Paul and Peter in 1043. Soon afterwards, in 1087, the church of St. Mary was added along the northern fortifications. In 1295, the church of St. Gregory, which had been destroyed during an earthquake, was replaced with a new one through the initiative of then Metropolitan Stepanos Orbelian
. In 1787, the mausoleum
of St. Grigor Tatevatsi
was built adjacent to the western wall of the St. Gregory Church and in the end of 19th century a vestibule
and bellfry
were added at the west entrance of the Sts. Paul and Peter.
Aside from the buildings, the monastery boasts an upright pendulum
, known as the Gavazan (staff). This column was built in the tenth century following the completion of the Sts. Paul and Peter church and has survived numerous invasions and earthquakes relatively unscathed.
In the 14th century, fortifications were built to the south, west and north of the monastery with buildings for habitation, administration and other purposes. In the 18th century, additions were made to house the bishop’s residence, cells for the monks, storage, dining hall, kitchen, bakery and winery. Sixteen rectangular classrooms, covered with arched ceilings, were built along the main fortifications.
To the northeast of the monastery, outside of the fortifications is the olive press. It has four production rooms including two domed storage rooms and pressing chambers with arched ceilings. This mill is one of the best preserved in Armenia
and is an excellent illustration of olive presses built in the region during the Middle Ages
.
The school buildings of the Tatev Monastery characterize the architectural style of monastic educational architecture used in the late medieval period.
. It is also referred to as the Church of the Apostles or the Cathedral
. It’s likely that this church was built on the location of the old church and also inherited its name. On the western wall of the Church is preserved the dedicational cross-stone installed by Bishop Hovhannes that provides important historical information regarding the construction of the Church.
Sts. Paul and Peter church is the oldest remaining construction within the complex of the Monastery. It was built with the initiative of Bishop Hovhannes and the financial assistance of reigning Prince Ashot, his wife Princess Shushan and Princes Grigor Supan and Dzagik.
The church is a rectangular basilica
that extends from west to east. The apse on the east side contains the altar, and is flanked by two depositories; one on either side. The central dome is supported by two pillars on the eastern side, while on the west, annexes act as abutment
s. The roof has a two tiered, inclined style covered with large tiles. The inside and outside walls are covered with hewn stones. The walls and dome have narrow windows that allow the nave
to be illuminated. The eastern façade contains niches
that are crowned with bas-relief portraits of its benefactors, Prince Ashot and Princess Shushan, each bordered by protective snakes.
In 930 the church walls were decorated with fresco
es upon the initiative of Bishop Hakob Dvinetsi. The work was carried out by French artists invited from Constantinople
working alongside local Armenian
painters. The faces of the main characters have eastern features, and all inscriptions are in Armenian
. The eastern apse
is decorated with a throned Christ
with His disciples and saints. The western wall portrays the Last Judgment
, while the northern wall illustrates scenes from the Nativity of Jesus
. Little of those decorations survive today.
campaigns, but was completely destroyed again during the earthquake of 1138. It remained in this condition for more than a century until its reconstruction in 1295.
The church of St. Gregory is simple in construction. It does not have a dome. It has three support pillars in its northern and southern walls that bear the arches upon which the inclined roof tiles are installed. Its entrance is decorated with fine geometric carvings.
near the entrance. It was severely damaged during the earthquake of 1931, but was restored in the late 20th century.
The column swings during earthquakes and returns to its vertical position.
organization. It became a prominent and influential monastic centre soon after its foundation, possessing expansive areas of land and a large number of villages. The earliest references to its foundation are described in Stepanos Orbelian’s
History of the Province of Syunik, where Orbelian describes the accord through which Prince Ashot, son of Prince Philipé of Syunik delineated its borders.
Soon after the transfer of the lands, peasants of Tsouraberd (present day Svarants), Tamalek, Aveladasht and other villages, rejected the authority of the Monastery and began a prolonged struggle against it. Twice the protests transformed into open uprisings and continued, with some interruptions, until 990 when King Vasak of Syunik razed Tsouraberd and dispersed its population . Historians link the uprisings to the Tondrakian Heresy
, which appeared in Armenian history at roughly the same time as the peasant uprisings (9th-11th centuries) and which was also suppressed around the same time.
The Tatev bishopric owned 47 villages and received tithes from 677 other villages. It gained such economic power that in 940-950 Bishop Hakob attempted to secede from the Mother See of Etchmiadzin. His separatist dreams were dashed when Catholicos Anania Mokatsi anathema
tized him. Surrounding regions benefited from Tatev’s weakened position, rejected its supremacy and established their own dioceses. In 958, Bishop Vahan (later Catholicos Vahan Syunetsi) recovered some of the bishopric rights and properties. In 1006, Bishop Hovhannes V succeeded in re-establishing the metropolitan privileges of the diocese.
. In his History of the Province of Syunik, Stepanos Orbelian
describes how the monastery served as the repository for thousands of valuable manuscript
s, monastic and official documents and contracts. The Monastery hosted a university that operated between 1390 and 1434, where instructors were educated and trained not only for the province of Syunik, but also for other regions of Armenia.
In the beginning of 1340s, following the decline of the University of Gladzor, Hovhan Vorotnetsi departed from Vayots Dzor, and arriving in Dzghook, Vorotn, he obtained the blessing and patronage of the Orbelian
princes to advance the educational system at Tatev. Vorotnetsi used his experience from Gladzor to revise the educational plan and to organize the admission and classification of students and instructors. This enabled Tatev to be transformed to a deserving university within a short period of time, attracting students from various regions of Greater Armenia
and Cilicia
.
Vorotnetsi organized the university into three departments – study of Armenian and foreign scriptures, the study of scriptural arts, and finally, the study of music. The first included the study of humanities and social sciences, philosophy, oration, grammar, literature and history. The second focused on calligraphy
, artistic design of books and the painting of miniatures and murals. The third department included ancient music and musicology.
Following the death of Vorotnetsi in 1388, Grigor Tatevatsi
assumed the role of abbot. He succeeded in raising the standard of the University to unprecedented heights. During his tenure, Tatev experienced its most dynamic and creative period. Topics of instruction included Armenian literature
, interpretation and analysis of the Old and New Testaments, works of the holy fathers, works of Plato
, Aristotle
, Philo of Alexandria and Porphyry
, and their analysis.
The University of Tatev became the leading scientific and cultural centre of the time. Its achievements appear even more significant when they are viewed in context with the turbulent political situation and endless devastations of the period, when the University was occasionally forced to migrate in order to avoid persecutions from invading forces.
Tatev University led the effort to combat the influence of the Fratres Unitores in Armenia
. The Unitores were an Armenian branch of the Dominican order
and the result of an initiative taken by Pope John XXII
to extend the influence of Holy See of Rome
onto Asia
and to Latinize Greater Armenia
. Scholars of Tatev University fought against the proselytizing of the Unitores and sought to diminish their influence on the Armenian Church
and people.
Following the collapse of the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia
in 1375, scholars of Tatev, led by Grigor Tatevatsi
and then his followers, especially Tovma Metsobetsi and Hovhannes Hermonetsi played an important role in convincing the authorities to repatriate of the supreme patriarchal throne of the Armenian Church
from Sis
to Etchmiadzin, the original See of Saint Gregory the Illuminator
. The effort succeeded in 1441 following the decisions of the National Congress of Etchmiadzin, proving to be one of the most significant events in Armenian history of that century.
The prominence of the University began to wane following the death of Grigor Tatevatsi
. In spite of the dauntless efforts of its new leaders, the political and economic conditions, compounded with the security complications of the period led Tatev to lose its luster and finally ceased to function following the invasions of Shah Rukh
in 1434.
and their adjacent areas of the Vorotan Valley were added to the tentative list of World Heritage Sites of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO
).
In October 2010, Armenia launched the world’s longest reversible aerial tramway, a 5.750 km long cable-car, as part of its effort to revive tourism in the area. This link, named Wings of Tatev
connects the village of Halidzor
with the Tatev Monastery. The project is executed by the Swiss competence centre of the Doppelmayr/Garaventa group and cost US$25 million.
Armenian architecture
Armenian architecture is an architectural style developed over the last 4,500 years of human habitation in the Armenian Highland and used principally by the Armenian people.- Common characteristics of Armenian architecture:...
located in the Tatev village
Tatev (village)
Tatev is a village and rural community in the Syunik Province of Armenia. Here is situated Tatev monastery. The National Statistical Service of the Republic of Armenia reported its population was 892 in 2010, down from 1,042 at the 2001 census.The village hosts a station of the Wings of Tatev...
in Syunik Province in southern Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
. The term "Tatev" usually refers to the monastery. It stands on a plateau on the edge of the deep gorge of the Orotan (Vorotan) River. It became the bishopric seat of Syunik and played a significant role in the history of the region as a centre for economic, political, spiritual and cultural activity.
In the 14th and 15th centuries Tatev Monastery hosted one of the most important Armenian medieval universities which contributed to the education of science, religion and philosophy; reproduction of books and development of miniature painting
Miniature (illuminated manuscript)
The word miniature, derived from the Latin minium, red lead, is a picture in an ancient or medieval illuminated manuscript; the simple decoration of the early codices having been miniated or delineated with that pigment...
. Scholars of Tatev University contributed to the preservation of Armenian culture and creed
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...
during one of its most turbulent periods in its history.
Etymology
According to tradition, Tatev Monastery is named after Eustateus, a disciple of St. Thaddeus the ApostleSaint Jude
Jude was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. He is generally identified with Thaddeus, and is also variously called Jude of James, Jude Thaddaeus, Judas Thaddaeus or Lebbaeus...
, who preached and was martyred in this region. His name has evolved to Tatev.
Another legend tells of an event that is tied to the construction of the main church, where an apprentice secretly climbs to the top of its steeple intending to place a cross of his own design. However, the apprentice is spotted by his master during his descent. Shocked by his discovery, the apprentice loses his foothold and falls into the abyss as he calls upon God to grant him wings, which, in Armenian is: “Ta Tev”.
History
Tatev Monastery is located in South-East of ArmeniaArmenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
, in the area of ancient Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
n 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...
, not far from city of Goris
Goris
Goris is a city in the Syunik Marz of Armenia. Located in the valley of river Goris , it is about 240 km away from the Armenian capital Yerevan and 70 km from the Syunik Marz center Kapan. Goris forms an urban community...
and 280 km away from Yerevan
Yerevan
Yerevan is the capital and largest city of Armenia and one of the world's oldest continuously-inhabited cities. Situated along the Hrazdan River, Yerevan is the administrative, cultural, and industrial center of the country...
. The Tatev plateau has been is use since pre-Christian times, hosting a pagan temple. The temple was replaced with a modest church following the Christianization of Armenia in the 4th century.
Development of the Tatev Monastery began in the 9th century when it became the seat of the bishop of Syunik. In his History of the Province of Syunik, historian Stepanos Orbelian
Stepanos Orbelian
Stepanos Orbelian was a thirteenth century Armenian historian and the Metropolitan of the province of Syunik. He is known for writing his well-researched Patmut'yun Nahangin Sisakan, or History of the Province of Syunik.-Biography:...
describes the construction of a new church near the old one in 848 through the financial assistance of Prince Phillip of Syunik. With the growth of economic and political importance of the centre, the aging buildings no longer suited its requirements, and thus Bishop Hovhannes (John) obtained the financial assistance of Prince Ashot of Syunik to construct the new monastery.
In the beginning of the 11th century, Tatev hosted around 1,000 monks and a large number of artisans. In 1044, armed forces of neighbouring emirates destroyed the St. Gregory Church and its surrounding buildings, which were reconstructed soon after that. In 1087, the church of St. Mary was built to the north of the complex. The monastery suffered significant damage during Seljuk invasions in the 12th century and the earthquake in 1136. In 1170, Seljuk Turks plundered the Monastery and burnt some 10,000 manuscripts. The Monastery was rebuilt through the efforts of Bishop Stepanos near the end of the 12th century.
The Monastery was granted an exemption from taxes during Mongol rule. It regained its economic strength with the assistance of the Orbelian family. Its influence grew further when, in 1286, the Orbelians
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....
assumed control of the monastery, Stepanos Orbelian
Stepanos Orbelian
Stepanos Orbelian was a thirteenth century Armenian historian and the Metropolitan of the province of Syunik. He is known for writing his well-researched Patmut'yun Nahangin Sisakan, or History of the Province of Syunik.-Biography:...
was consecrated metropolitan
Metropolitan bishop
In Christian churches with episcopal polity, the rank of metropolitan bishop, or simply metropolitan, pertains to the diocesan bishop or archbishop of a metropolis; that is, the chief city of a historical Roman province, ecclesiastical province, or regional capital.Before the establishment of...
and succeeded in reuniting a number of surrounding dioceses within its realm. With the establishment of the university in the 14th century Tatev became a principal centre of Armenian culture.
During Timur Lane’s campaigns into Syunik (1381–1387), Tatev was looted, burnt, and dispossessed of a significant portion of its territories. The Monastery received an additional blow during Shah Rukh’s
Shah Rukh (Timurid dynasty)
Shāhrukh Mīrzā was the ruler of the eastern portion of the empire established by the Central Asian warlord Timur - the founder of the Timurid dynasty - governing most of Persia and Transoxiana between 1405 and 1447...
invasion in 1434.
. It was reborn in the 17th and 18th centuries; its structures restored and new ones were added. It was looted again during the incursions of Persian forces led by Aga Mahmet Khan in 1796. In 1836, Czarist Russia put an end to the metropolitan authorities of Tatev through the imposition of Pologenia, and Syunik became part of the Diocese of Yerevan.
On 26 April 1921, the 2nd Pan-Zangezurian congress, held in Tatev, announced the independence of the self-governing regions of Daralakyaz (Vayots Dzor), Zangezur, and Mountainous Artsakh, under the name of the Republic of Mountainous Armenia
Republic of Mountainous Armenia
The Republic of Mountainous Armenia was a short-lived and unrecognized state in the South Caucasus, roughly corresponding with the territory that is now the present-day Armenian provinces of Vayots Dzor and Syunik, and parts of the present-day Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.- Turkish–Armenian War :On...
(Lernahaystani Hanrapetutyun). The state also included the regions of Tatev canyon, Sisian
Sisian
Sisian formerly also known as Sisakan, Sisavan and later Garakilse, is a city in the southern province of Syunik, Armenia. Located on both banks of Vorotan River, 6 km south of the Yerevan-Meghri highway, at a distance of 217 km from Yerevan and 115 km from Kapan. Sisian forms an urban...
and Gndevaz. The city of Goris
Goris
Goris is a city in the Syunik Marz of Armenia. Located in the valley of river Goris , it is about 240 km away from the Armenian capital Yerevan and 70 km from the Syunik Marz center Kapan. Goris forms an urban community...
became the capital of the unrecognized state, and Garegin Nzhdeh was chosen as prime minister and minister of defence. Later, in July, Simon Vratsian
Simon Vratsian
Simon Vratsian was an Armenian political figure and the last Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Armenia.After education at Armenian and Russian schools he joined the Dashnak party. He received further education at the Gevorgian seminary from 1900 to 1906...
took the office as prime minister while Njdeh became the governor and the general commander.
The monastery was seriously damaged after an earthquake in 1931, the dome of the Sts. Paul and Peter church and the bell tower were destroyed. In the latter years the Sts. Paul and Peter church was reconstructed, but the bell tower remains destroyed up to today.
Buildings of the Monastery
The fortified monastery of Tatev consists of three churches (Sts. Paul and Peter, St. Gregory the Illuminator and St. Mary), a library, dining hall, belfry, mausoleum as well as other administrative and auxiliary buildings.The Sts. Paul and Peter church was built between 895 and 906. An arched hall was added adjacent to the southern wall of the Sts. Paul and Peter in 1043. Soon afterwards, in 1087, the church of St. Mary was added along the northern fortifications. In 1295, the church of St. Gregory, which had been destroyed during an earthquake, was replaced with a new one through the initiative of then Metropolitan Stepanos Orbelian
Stepanos Orbelian
Stepanos Orbelian was a thirteenth century Armenian historian and the Metropolitan of the province of Syunik. He is known for writing his well-researched Patmut'yun Nahangin Sisakan, or History of the Province of Syunik.-Biography:...
. In 1787, the mausoleum
Mausoleum
A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or persons. A monument without the interment is a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type of tomb or the tomb may be considered to be within the...
of St. Grigor Tatevatsi
Grigor Tatevatsi
Grigor Tatevatsi was a 14th Century Armenian philosopher and theologian.A monument to Tatevatsi was unveiled on October 16, 2010 in Goris, Armenia....
was built adjacent to the western wall of the St. Gregory Church and in the end of 19th century a vestibule
Vestibule (architecture)
A vestibule is a lobby, entrance hall, or passage between the entrance and the interior of a building.The same term can apply to structures in modern or ancient roman architecture. In modern architecture vestibule typically refers to a small room or hall between an entrance and the interior of...
and bellfry
Bell tower
A bell tower is a tower which contains one or more bells, or which is designed to hold bells, even if it has none. In the European tradition, such a tower most commonly serves as part of a church and contains church bells. When attached to a city hall or other civic building, especially in...
were added at the west entrance of the Sts. Paul and Peter.
Aside from the buildings, the monastery boasts an upright pendulum
Pendulum
A pendulum is a weight suspended from a pivot so that it can swing freely. When a pendulum is displaced from its resting equilibrium position, it is subject to a restoring force due to gravity that will accelerate it back toward the equilibrium position...
, known as the Gavazan (staff). This column was built in the tenth century following the completion of the Sts. Paul and Peter church and has survived numerous invasions and earthquakes relatively unscathed.
In the 14th century, fortifications were built to the south, west and north of the monastery with buildings for habitation, administration and other purposes. In the 18th century, additions were made to house the bishop’s residence, cells for the monks, storage, dining hall, kitchen, bakery and winery. Sixteen rectangular classrooms, covered with arched ceilings, were built along the main fortifications.
To the northeast of the monastery, outside of the fortifications is the olive press. It has four production rooms including two domed storage rooms and pressing chambers with arched ceilings. This mill is one of the best preserved in Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
and is an excellent illustration of olive presses built in the region during the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
.
The school buildings of the Tatev Monastery characterize the architectural style of monastic educational architecture used in the late medieval period.
Sts. Paul and Peter Church
The Sts. Paul and Peter church is dedicated to the two apostles of ChristChrist
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
. It is also referred to as the Church of the Apostles or the Cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
. It’s likely that this church was built on the location of the old church and also inherited its name. On the western wall of the Church is preserved the dedicational cross-stone installed by Bishop Hovhannes that provides important historical information regarding the construction of the Church.
Sts. Paul and Peter church is the oldest remaining construction within the complex of the Monastery. It was built with the initiative of Bishop Hovhannes and the financial assistance of reigning Prince Ashot, his wife Princess Shushan and Princes Grigor Supan and Dzagik.
The church is a rectangular basilica
Basilica
The Latin word basilica , was originally used to describe a Roman public building, usually located in the forum of a Roman town. Public basilicas began to appear in Hellenistic cities in the 2nd century BC.The term was also applied to buildings used for religious purposes...
that extends from west to east. The apse on the east side contains the altar, and is flanked by two depositories; one on either side. The central dome is supported by two pillars on the eastern side, while on the west, annexes act as abutment
Abutment
An abutment is, generally, the point where two structures or objects meet. This word comes from the verb abut, which means adjoin or having common boundary. An abutment is an engineering term that describes a structure located at the ends of a bridge, where the bridge slab adjoins the approaching...
s. The roof has a two tiered, inclined style covered with large tiles. The inside and outside walls are covered with hewn stones. The walls and dome have narrow windows that allow the nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
to be illuminated. The eastern façade contains niches
Niche (architecture)
A niche in classical architecture is an exedra or an apse that has been reduced in size, retaining the half-dome heading usual for an apse. Nero's Domus Aurea was the first semi-private dwelling that possessed rooms that were given richly varied floor plans, shaped with niches and exedras;...
that are crowned with bas-relief portraits of its benefactors, Prince Ashot and Princess Shushan, each bordered by protective snakes.
In 930 the church walls were decorated with fresco
Fresco
Fresco is any of several related mural painting types, executed on plaster on walls or ceilings. The word fresco comes from the Greek word affresca which derives from the Latin word for "fresh". Frescoes first developed in the ancient world and continued to be popular through the Renaissance...
es upon the initiative of Bishop Hakob Dvinetsi. The work was carried out by French artists invited from Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
working alongside local Armenian
Armenians
Armenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
painters. The faces of the main characters have eastern features, and all inscriptions are in Armenian
Armenian language
The Armenian language is an Indo-European language spoken by the Armenian people. It is the official language of the Republic of Armenia as well as in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh. The language is also widely spoken by Armenian communities in the Armenian diaspora...
. The eastern apse
Apse
In architecture, the apse is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome...
is decorated with a throned Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
with His disciples and saints. The western wall portrays the Last Judgment
Last Judgment
The Last Judgment, Final Judgment, Day of Judgment, Judgment Day, or The Day of the Lord in Christian theology, is the final and eternal judgment by God of every nation. The concept is found in all the Canonical gospels, particularly the Gospel of Matthew. It will purportedly take place after the...
, while the northern wall illustrates scenes from the Nativity of Jesus
Nativity of Jesus
The Nativity of Jesus, or simply The Nativity, refers to the accounts of the birth of Jesus in two of the Canonical gospels and in various apocryphal texts....
. Little of those decorations survive today.
St. Gregory the Illuminator Church
The St. Gregory the Illuminator Church is adjacent to the southern wall of the Sts. Paul and Peter Cathedral. The church was first built between 836-848 with the order and financial support of Prince Philipé of Syunik. It was renovated in the 11th century immediately after the SeljukSeljuq dynasty
The Seljuq ; were a Turco-Persian Sunni Muslim dynasty that ruled parts of Central Asia and the Middle East from the 11th to 14th centuries...
campaigns, but was completely destroyed again during the earthquake of 1138. It remained in this condition for more than a century until its reconstruction in 1295.
The church of St. Gregory is simple in construction. It does not have a dome. It has three support pillars in its northern and southern walls that bear the arches upon which the inclined roof tiles are installed. Its entrance is decorated with fine geometric carvings.
St. Mary’s Church
St. Mary’s (Mother of God, Astvatzadzin) Church is located along the northern fortifications of the monastic complex. It was built in 1087 as a second storey to the covered mausoleumMausoleum
A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or persons. A monument without the interment is a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type of tomb or the tomb may be considered to be within the...
near the entrance. It was severely damaged during the earthquake of 1931, but was restored in the late 20th century.
Pendulous Column
The pendulous column (Gavazan Siun) is a monument dedicated to the Holy Trinity. It is located to the south of the Cathedral. The column is about eight meters tall and is crowned with a cross-stone . It has few decorations and no inscriptions and has been left unaltered since its construction.The column swings during earthquakes and returns to its vertical position.
Monastic Feudalism
Tatev Monastery was a feudalFeudalism
Feudalism was a set of legal and military customs in medieval Europe that flourished between the 9th and 15th centuries, which, broadly defined, was a system for ordering society around relationships derived from the holding of land in exchange for service or labour.Although derived from the...
organization. It became a prominent and influential monastic centre soon after its foundation, possessing expansive areas of land and a large number of villages. The earliest references to its foundation are described in Stepanos Orbelian’s
Stepanos Orbelian
Stepanos Orbelian was a thirteenth century Armenian historian and the Metropolitan of the province of Syunik. He is known for writing his well-researched Patmut'yun Nahangin Sisakan, or History of the Province of Syunik.-Biography:...
History of the Province of Syunik, where Orbelian describes the accord through which Prince Ashot, son of Prince Philipé of Syunik delineated its borders.
Soon after the transfer of the lands, peasants of Tsouraberd (present day Svarants), Tamalek, Aveladasht and other villages, rejected the authority of the Monastery and began a prolonged struggle against it. Twice the protests transformed into open uprisings and continued, with some interruptions, until 990 when King Vasak of Syunik razed Tsouraberd and dispersed its population . Historians link the uprisings to the Tondrakian Heresy
Tondrakians
Tondrakians were members of an anti-feudal, heretical Christian sect that flourished in medieval Armenia between the early 9th century and 11th century and centered around the city of Tondrak, north of Lake Van in Western Armenia.-History:...
, which appeared in Armenian history at roughly the same time as the peasant uprisings (9th-11th centuries) and which was also suppressed around the same time.
The Tatev bishopric owned 47 villages and received tithes from 677 other villages. It gained such economic power that in 940-950 Bishop Hakob attempted to secede from the Mother See of Etchmiadzin. His separatist dreams were dashed when Catholicos Anania Mokatsi anathema
Anathema
Anathema originally meant something lifted up as an offering to the gods; it later evolved to mean:...
tized him. Surrounding regions benefited from Tatev’s weakened position, rejected its supremacy and established their own dioceses. In 958, Bishop Vahan (later Catholicos Vahan Syunetsi) recovered some of the bishopric rights and properties. In 1006, Bishop Hovhannes V succeeded in re-establishing the metropolitan privileges of the diocese.
Tatev University
Tatev Monastery has played a notable role in the advancement of cultural life of ArmeniaArmenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
. In his History of the Province of Syunik, Stepanos Orbelian
Stepanos Orbelian
Stepanos Orbelian was a thirteenth century Armenian historian and the Metropolitan of the province of Syunik. He is known for writing his well-researched Patmut'yun Nahangin Sisakan, or History of the Province of Syunik.-Biography:...
describes how the monastery served as the repository for thousands of valuable manuscript
Manuscript
A manuscript or handwrite is written information that has been manually created by someone or some people, such as a hand-written letter, as opposed to being printed or reproduced some other way...
s, monastic and official documents and contracts. The Monastery hosted a university that operated between 1390 and 1434, where instructors were educated and trained not only for the province of Syunik, but also for other regions of Armenia.
In the beginning of 1340s, following the decline of the University of Gladzor, Hovhan Vorotnetsi departed from Vayots Dzor, and arriving in Dzghook, Vorotn, he obtained the blessing and patronage of the 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....
princes to advance the educational system at Tatev. Vorotnetsi used his experience from Gladzor to revise the educational plan and to organize the admission and classification of students and instructors. This enabled Tatev to be transformed to a deserving university within a short period of time, attracting students from various regions of Greater Armenia
Greater Armenia
Greater Armenia may refer to:* The Ancient Armenia, independent from 190 BC to 387 АD, known as Greater Armenia to distinguish it from Roman-controlled Lesser Armenia...
and Cilicia
Cilicia
In antiquity, Cilicia was the south coastal region of Asia Minor, south of the central Anatolian plateau. It existed as a political entity from Hittite times into the Byzantine empire...
.
Vorotnetsi organized the university into three departments – study of Armenian and foreign scriptures, the study of scriptural arts, and finally, the study of music. The first included the study of humanities and social sciences, philosophy, oration, grammar, literature and history. The second focused on calligraphy
Calligraphy
Calligraphy is a type of visual art. It is often called the art of fancy lettering . A contemporary definition of calligraphic practice is "the art of giving form to signs in an expressive, harmonious and skillful manner"...
, artistic design of books and the painting of miniatures and murals. The third department included ancient music and musicology.
Following the death of Vorotnetsi in 1388, Grigor Tatevatsi
Grigor Tatevatsi
Grigor Tatevatsi was a 14th Century Armenian philosopher and theologian.A monument to Tatevatsi was unveiled on October 16, 2010 in Goris, Armenia....
assumed the role of abbot. He succeeded in raising the standard of the University to unprecedented heights. During his tenure, Tatev experienced its most dynamic and creative period. Topics of instruction included Armenian literature
Armenian literature
-Early literature:Armenian literature begins about 406 with the invention of the Armenian alphabet by Mesrop.Isaac, the Catholicos of Armenia, formed a school of translators who were sent to Edessa, Athens, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, Caesarea in Cappadocia, and elsewhere, to procure...
, interpretation and analysis of the Old and New Testaments, works of the holy fathers, works of Plato
Plato
Plato , was a Classical Greek philosopher, mathematician, student of Socrates, writer of philosophical dialogues, and founder of the Academy in Athens, the first institution of higher learning in the Western world. Along with his mentor, Socrates, and his student, Aristotle, Plato helped to lay the...
, Aristotle
Aristotle
Aristotle was a Greek philosopher and polymath, a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. His writings cover many subjects, including physics, metaphysics, poetry, theater, music, logic, rhetoric, linguistics, politics, government, ethics, biology, and zoology...
, Philo of Alexandria and Porphyry
Porphyry (philosopher)
Porphyry of Tyre , Porphyrios, AD 234–c. 305) was a Neoplatonic philosopher who was born in Tyre. He edited and published the Enneads, the only collection of the work of his teacher Plotinus. He also wrote many works himself on a wide variety of topics...
, and their analysis.
The University of Tatev became the leading scientific and cultural centre of the time. Its achievements appear even more significant when they are viewed in context with the turbulent political situation and endless devastations of the period, when the University was occasionally forced to migrate in order to avoid persecutions from invading forces.
Tatev University led the effort to combat the influence of the Fratres Unitores in Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
. The Unitores were an Armenian branch of the Dominican order
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
and the result of an initiative taken by Pope John XXII
Pope John XXII
Pope John XXII , born Jacques Duèze , was pope from 1316 to 1334. He was the second Pope of the Avignon Papacy , elected by a conclave in Lyon assembled by Philip V of France...
to extend the influence of Holy See of Rome
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
onto Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
and to Latinize Greater Armenia
Greater Armenia
Greater Armenia may refer to:* The Ancient Armenia, independent from 190 BC to 387 АD, known as Greater Armenia to distinguish it from Roman-controlled Lesser Armenia...
. Scholars of Tatev University fought against the proselytizing of the Unitores and sought to diminish their influence on the Armenian 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...
and people.
Following the collapse of the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia
Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia
The Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia , also known as the Cilician Armenia, Kingdom of Cilician Armenia or New Armenia, was an independent principality formed during the High Middle Ages by Armenian refugees fleeing the Seljuk invasion of Armenia...
in 1375, scholars of Tatev, led by Grigor Tatevatsi
Grigor Tatevatsi
Grigor Tatevatsi was a 14th Century Armenian philosopher and theologian.A monument to Tatevatsi was unveiled on October 16, 2010 in Goris, Armenia....
and then his followers, especially Tovma Metsobetsi and Hovhannes Hermonetsi played an important role in convincing the authorities to repatriate of the supreme patriarchal throne of the Armenian 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...
from Sis
Kozan, Adana
Kozan is a city in Adana Province, Turkey, 68 km north of the city of Adana, in the northern section of the Çukurova plain. The city is the capital of Kozan district. The Kilgen Stream, a tributary of the Ceyhan River , flows through Kozan crossing the plain south into the Mediterranean Sea....
to Etchmiadzin, the original See of Saint Gregory the Illuminator
Gregory the Illuminator
Saint Gregory the Illuminator or Saint Gregory the Enlightener is the patron saint and first official head of the Armenian Apostolic Church...
. The effort succeeded in 1441 following the decisions of the National Congress of Etchmiadzin, proving to be one of the most significant events in Armenian history of that century.
The prominence of the University began to wane following the death of Grigor Tatevatsi
Grigor Tatevatsi
Grigor Tatevatsi was a 14th Century Armenian philosopher and theologian.A monument to Tatevatsi was unveiled on October 16, 2010 in Goris, Armenia....
. In spite of the dauntless efforts of its new leaders, the political and economic conditions, compounded with the security complications of the period led Tatev to lose its luster and finally ceased to function following the invasions of Shah Rukh
Shah Rukh (Timurid dynasty)
Shāhrukh Mīrzā was the ruler of the eastern portion of the empire established by the Central Asian warlord Timur - the founder of the Timurid dynasty - governing most of Persia and Transoxiana between 1405 and 1447...
in 1434.
National Heritage
In 1995, the monasteries of Tatev, Tatevi AnapatTatevi Anapat
Tatevi Anapat is a 17th century Armenian monastery located in the Vorotan River valley in the Syunik Province of Armenia. The National Competitiveness Foundation of Armenia is going to create a tourism zone in the Tatev area to draw visitors to its amazing churches and scenery. The Tatevi Anapat...
and their adjacent areas of the Vorotan Valley were added to the tentative list of World Heritage Sites of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
).
In October 2010, Armenia launched the world’s longest reversible aerial tramway, a 5.750 km long cable-car, as part of its effort to revive tourism in the area. This link, named Wings of Tatev
Wings of Tatev
Wings of Tatev is a cableway between Halidzor and the Tatev monastery in Armenia. It is the longest reversible aerial tramway built in one section only...
connects the village of Halidzor
Halidzor
Halidzor is a village and rural community in the Syunik Province of Armenia. The Halidzor Fortress is nearby. The National Statistical Service of the Republic of Armenia reported its population was 707 in 2010, up from 602 at the 2001 census.The village hosts a station of the Wings of Tatev -...
with the Tatev Monastery. The project is executed by the Swiss competence centre of the Doppelmayr/Garaventa group and cost US$25 million.
See also
- Tatevi AnapatTatevi AnapatTatevi Anapat is a 17th century Armenian monastery located in the Vorotan River valley in the Syunik Province of Armenia. The National Competitiveness Foundation of Armenia is going to create a tourism zone in the Tatev area to draw visitors to its amazing churches and scenery. The Tatevi Anapat...
, a nearby 17th century Armenian monastery in the Vorotan Valley gorge directly below Tatev - Wings of TatevWings of TatevWings of Tatev is a cableway between Halidzor and the Tatev monastery in Armenia. It is the longest reversible aerial tramway built in one section only...
, the world longest non-stop double track aerial tramway that leads to the monastery