Aruchavank or the Cathedral of Aruch (; also Surb Grigor) is situated on a rocky plateau at the western foot of

Mount Aragats Mount Aragats (, ) is an isolated four-peaked volcano massif in Armenia. Its northern summit, at above sea level, is the highest point of the Lesser Caucasus and Armenia. It is also one of the highest points in the Armenian Highlands. The Ar ...

in the village of Aruch in 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 ...

. According to wall inscriptions on the east wall and manuscripts written by historians Ghevond, Hovhannes Draskhanakerttsi, and Stepanos Asoghik, the church and adjoining building for residence (the palace) were commissioned by Prince

Grigor Mamikonian Mamikonian or Mamikonean () was an Armenian aristocratic dynasty which dominated Armenia between the 4th and 8th centuries—through the late antique kingdom, Sasanian, Byzantine, and Arab dominations. They were the most notable noble house in ...

and his wife Heghine/Heline between 661 and 682 AD. Architecturally it is one of the most important Armenian churches of the Middle Ages and also one of the largest.

History

Aruch became a

citadel A citadel is the most fortified area of a town or city. It may be a castle, fortress, or fortified center. The term is a diminutive of ''city'', meaning "little city", because it is a smaller part of the city of which it is the defensive core. ...

in the later

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...

. The ruins of the palace were excavated in 1947 and between 1950 and 1952. The remains of two structures of the palace complex of Prince Grigor Mamikonian were found on the south side of the church of St. Grigor. There is some controversy as to the exact date of the completion of this church because of the reference in the inscription to the reign of the Byzantine Emperor Constantine III (641). According to Marr, Haroutyunyan, and Manutcheryan, it is believed that there is confusion with the emperor Constans II (641-668). The church was restored during 1946–1948, except for the drum and cupola. The church had been extensively damaged by earthquakes and possibly by its use as a fortress in the 16th and 17th centuries (Oramanian, 1948).Aruchavank at Armenica

Architecture

Aruchavank is a domed hall single-nave

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 ...

type structure. Its

drum The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments. In the Hornbostel–Sachs classification system, it is a membranophone. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a ...

and

have since collapsed prior to restoration efforts.

Gallery

Image:Aruchavank-map.png, Map of Aruchavank and surrounding region. Image:Aruchavank S.jpg, South façade of the cathedral. Image:Aruchavank interior.jpg, Apse of Aruch cathedral. Image:Արուճի եկեղեցական համալիր 25.JPG, Inscription on the tympanum over the main portal. Image:Արուճի եկեղեցական համալիր 31.JPG, One of two capitals from the ruins just outside the church.

Notes and references

External links

Aruchavank at Armenica.orgAruch Cathedral at ArmeniaPediaAbout Aruchavank
{{DEFAULTSORT:Aruchavank Church 7th-century churches in Armenia Armenian Apostolic churches in Armenia Archaeological sites in Armenia Oriental Orthodox congregations established in the 7th century Buildings and structures in Aragatsotn Province 682 establishments Churches completed in the 680s