The Mayravank Monastery complex is located 3 km north of the village Solak in the Kotayk Province of Armenia, on the plateau of the Tsaghkunyats Mountains. It is one of the beautiful examples of medieval Armenian architecture. The original building was founded by Hovhan Mayravanetsi (Mayragometsi) in the 7th century. Afterwards, the Mayravank St. Astvatsatsin church was built in the 11th–12th centuries, with polished basalt.
Historical overview
In order to disrespect Hovhan Mayravanetsi, who opposed him on the issue of monotheism and was withdrawn to Mayravank, the Catholicos of Ezr I named the monastery “Mayragom”, and Hovhan “Mayragometsi”.
After the Council of Chalcedon in 451, the Christian Church was divided and, therefore, the influence of the Byzantine Church on the Armenian Church was weakened. The concept of monotheism, introduced by the Byzantine emperors, aimed to bridge the gap between the divided churches and to restore the lost influence. In 633, during the Council of Karin, Catholicos Ezr forcibly accepted the idea of monotheism. However, monotheism did not take root in Armenia and was considered Chalcedonianism. Among Armenian theologians of the time, Hovhan Mayravanetsi was the only one to openly speak out against the Catholicos.
Structure of the Church
Mayravank is a domed church. There are rectangular two-story vestries on both sides of the altar. Inside the church, an inscription dating back to 1224 can be found on the western wall. The eastern facade features a pair of triangular niches. The single western entrance has a double-arched porch adorned with semi-columns. From the height of the site, there is a panoramic view of the entire village of Solak.
Current Condition
The monument is currently in a semi-ruined state. The stones and sculptures that were once part of the structure are scattered around the church.
Mayravank, as a monument of national significance, is included in the official list of immovable historical and cultural monuments of Kotayk Province approved by the government and has been transferred to the ownership of the Armenian Apostolic Church. Based on studies conducted in 2009 and 2011 under the monument condition monitoring program, Mayravank was included in the list of monuments slated for restoration. Full restoration work on the church began in September 2019.
To Mayravank
Reaching the Mayravank St. Astvatsatsin Church, located near the village of Solak, takes approximately two hours for a novice hiker. The Mayravank is on a cliff, and to get there you have to walk a long way, mostly over rocks and sometimes on the ground. The most common tree on the way is the fir, which probably grows more easily in rocky terrain.
