Aghdzk () is a village in the

Ashtarak Municipality Aragatsotn (, ) is a province ('' marz'') of Armenia. It is located in the western part of the country. The capital and largest city of the province is the town of Ashtarak. The Statistical Committee of Armenia reported its population was 128, ...

of the

Aragatsotn Province Aragatsotn (, ) is a administrative divisions of Armenia, province (''Marz (country subdivision), marz'') of Armenia. It is located in the western part of the country. The capital and largest city of the province is the town of Ashtarak. The Sta ...

Armenia Armenia, officially the Republic of Armenia, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of West Asia. It is a part of the Caucasus region and is bordered by Turkey to the west, Georgia (country), Georgia to the north and Azerbaijan to ...

. It is home to the

Arshakid Mausoleum The Arshakid Kings Mausoleum and Basilica (; also Tomb of the Arshakid Kings or Arshakuni Tomb) is a grave monument complex that sits along a gorge overlooking the Amberd River, and is located in the center of the village of Aghtsk in the Araga ...

, a large grave monument complex and

basilica In Ancient Roman architecture, a basilica (Greek Basiliké) was a large public building with multiple functions that was typically built alongside the town's forum. The basilica was in the Latin West equivalent to a stoa in the Greek Eas ...

of the 4th to 5th centuries. King

Shapur II Shapur II ( , 309–379), also known as Shapur the Great, was the tenth King of Kings (List of monarchs of the Sasanian Empire, Shahanshah) of Sasanian Iran. He took the title at birth and held it until his death at age 70, making him the List ...

Persia Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...

exhumed the bones of the Armenian kings and took them to Persia symbolically taking Armenia's power. When

Sparapet ' () was a military title and office in ancient and medieval Armenia. Under the Arsacid dynasty of Armenia, the ' was the supreme commander of the kingdom's armed forces. During the Arsacid period and for some time afterwards, the office was held ...

Vassak Mamikonian defeated the Persians and reclaimed the bones of the Arshakuni monarchs, he buried them at Aghdzk. Remains of the monuments and the basilica may still to be seen. Aghdzk is the birthplace of Catholicos Komitas I of Armenia (6th century-628).

Gallery

File:Map of Amberd.gif, Road map of Aghdzk and region File:Arshakunyats Dambaran and Chapel, Aghdzk, Armenia.jpg, Arshakid Mausoleum File:Arshakunyats Mausoleum 02.jpg, Entrance File:Church (7c) ruins, Aghdzk, Armenia2.jpg, Church ruins (7c.) File:Arshakunyats Mausoleum 03.jpg, Entrance stairs File:Arshakunyats Mausoleum 01.jpg, Right niche File:Arshakunyats Mausoleum 05.jpg, Left niche

References

*
World Gazetteer: Armenia
– World-Gazetteer.com
Report of the results of the 2001 Armenian Census
* Kiesling, ''Rediscovering Armenia'', p. 16, available online at th
US embassy to Armenia's website
Populated places in Aragatsotn Province {{Aragatsotn-geo-stub