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SAGHMOSAVANK

Saghmosavank, one of the picturesque monasteries of Armenia, is located only 37 km from Yerevan. It is located in Saghmosavan village of Aragatsotn marz, on the left bank of Kasakh river. The monastery located on a picturesque hill was built in the 13th century by the Vachutian princely house. Entering the church, it immediately becomes clear why Saghmosavank. A “saghmos” is a spiritual song. The acoustics of the church are so impressive that it was named so.

 

THE LEGEND OF SAGHMOSAVANK

According to tradition, Grigor Lusavorich, the first Armenian Catholicos, noticed this place from the top of Aragats in the 4th century, came here and built a church. Then, having gathered clergy in the same place, he taught them saghmos.

The saghmos is mentioned in written sources from the second half of the 12th century. In 1215, Vache Vachutyan together with his wife Mamakhatun built the main church of Saghmosavank, Saint Sion. The church is a rectangular structure on the outside and a cross-domed structure on the inside. In the first quarter of the 13th century, the vestibule was built next to the church. The six-pillared rotunda rising above the altar is especially noteworthy. South of the Church of Saint Sion is the Church of Saint Astvatsatsin. It was built in 1235 by Kurd Vachutian. It is a structure with a rectangular plan, on the wall there is a bas-relief of the rising sun and its rays, an angel and the royal coat of arms – an eagle clawing at a lamb. In 1255, the prince Vachutian built the library-church. In the 13th century, 120 manuscripts were kept in this library.

The article was compiled based on observations and materials collected by the ArmLand club.

Author of photos: Artyom Martirosyan