St. Hakob-Hayrapet Church was an Armenian church located in the village of
Shurud (
Julfa District
Julfa District () is one of the 7 districts of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan. The district borders the districts of Ordubad, Babek, Shahbuz, as well as the Syunik Province of Armenia and the East Azerbaijan Province of Ira ...
) of the
Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic
The Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic (, ) is a landlocked country, landlocked Enclave and exclave, exclave of the Azerbaijan, Republic of Azerbaijan. The region covers Official portal of Nakhchivan Autonomous RepublicNakhchivan Autonomous Republi ...
of
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan, officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, is a Boundaries between the continents, transcontinental and landlocked country at the boundary of West Asia and Eastern Europe. It is a part of the South Caucasus region and is bounded by ...
.
The church was located in the central part of the village.
[Ayvazyan, Argam. ''The Historical Monuments of Nakhichevan.'' Transl. Krikor H. Maksoudian. Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1990, pp. 78–79.][Ayvazyan, Argam. ''Nakhijevani ISSH haykakan hushardzannery. Hamahavak tsutsak.'' Yerevan: Hayastan, 1986, p. 89.]
History
The church was founded in the 12th century and was renovated in the mid-17th century.
Architecture
One of the most striking architectural features of the church was its cruciform basilican plan and high-domed cupola. The interior consisted of a nave with two aisles, large apse, and two vestries. Bands of relief sculpture decorated the door. A pillared porch at the western facade was destroyed by an earthquake in 1841. Armenian inscriptions were placed in the interior, on the western facade, and on the exterior of the dome, while wall paintings added in the 1680s by the Armenian poet and painter,
Naghash Hovnatan
Naghash Hovnatan (; 1661, Shorot, Nakhijevan, Safavid Iran – 1722, Shorot) was an Armenian poet, '' ashugh'', painter, and founder of the Hovnatanian artistic family. He is considered the founder of the new Armenian minstrel school, following ...
, adorned the dome.
Destruction
The church was destroyed at some point between 1997 and June 15, 2006, as documented by investigation of the Caucasus Heritage Watch.
References
{{coord missing, Azerbaijan
Destroyed Armenian Apostolic churches in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic