Pemzashen Church (

Armenian Armenian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia * Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent ** Armenian diaspora, Armenian communities around the ...

: Պեմզաշեն եկեղեցի) of the 7th century is located within the village of

Pemzashen Pemzashen () is a village in the Artik Municipality of the Shirak Province of 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 ...

in the

Shirak Province Shirak (, ) is a provinces of Armenia, province () of Armenia. It is located in the north-west of the country, bordering the provinces of Lori Province, Lori to the east and Aragatsotn Province, Aragatsotn to the south and southeast, and the cou ...

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 ...

just off of the main road through town. It sits adjacent to the foundations of a 5th-century

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 ...

Architecture

The church at Pemzashen has a small

cruciform A cruciform is a physical manifestation resembling a common cross or Christian cross. These include architectural shapes, biology, art, and design. Cruciform architectural plan Christian churches are commonly described as having a cruciform ...

central-plan with a single intact

octagonal In geometry, an octagon () is an eight-sided polygon or 8-gon. A '' regular octagon'' has Schläfli symbol and can also be constructed as a quasiregular truncated square, t, which alternates two types of edges. A truncated octagon, t is a hex ...

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 ...

above. Four small windows are located around the drum. The

dome A dome () is an architectural element similar to the hollow upper half of a sphere. There is significant overlap with the term cupola, which may also refer to a dome or a structure on top of a dome. The precise definition of a dome has been a m ...

that once stood above has since collapsed, but the geometric

cornice In architecture, a cornice (from the Italian ''cornice'' meaning "ledge") is generally any horizontal decorative Moulding (decorative), moulding that crowns a building or furniture element—for example, the cornice over a door or window, ar ...

directly under where it stood is still intact. A side chapel is attached to the main church with a separate entry directly adjacent to the main portal to the church. Upon the

lintel A lintel or lintol is a type of beam (a horizontal structural element) that spans openings such as portals, doors, windows and fireplaces. It can be a decorative architectural element, or a combined ornamented/structural item. In the case ...

to the main entry to the church is a carving of the

Virgin Mary Mary was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Joseph and the mother of Jesus. She is an important figure of Christianity, venerated under titles of Mary, mother of Jesus, various titles such as Perpetual virginity ...

holding the baby

Jesus Jesus (AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, and many Names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament, other names and titles, was a 1st-century Jewish preacher and religious leader. He is the Jesus in Chris ...

in her arms, and an

angel An angel is a spiritual (without a physical body), heavenly, or supernatural being, usually humanoid with bird-like wings, often depicted as a messenger or intermediary between God (the transcendent) and humanity (the profane) in variou ...

to either side descending to Mary with child holding a cloth in their arms. Mary is flanked by two other figures with gifts in their hands. The angel and figure to the right have been defaced almost completely except for the angel's cloth, and the faces of all of the remaining figures have been defaced as well except for the figure standing to the right. The rear façades of the church and chapel are partially in ruin, and at one time there had been other rooms attached to the front façade of the structure, as is evident from the remnants of collapsed walls.

Gallery

Image:Pemzashen Church Lintel.JPG, Decorative lintel above the door at the church. The Virgin Mary holds the baby Christ and is flanked by two angels and Maji Image:Pemzashen Church Cross.JPG, Cross relief upon the front exterior wall Image:Pemzashen Village Church.JPG, South façade Image:Պեմզաշեն վանական համալիր13.JPG, Rear view of the church.

References

{{Armenian Churches 7th-century churches in Armenia Buildings and structures in Shirak Province Christian monasteries in Armenia Tourist attractions in Shirak Province