Makaravank

Makaravank is a significant 10th-13th century Armenian church complex situated near the village of Achajur in the Tavush Province of Armenia, nestled on the slope of Paitatap Mountain. This monastic ensemble is celebrated for its originality, the richness and variety of its ornaments, and its important place within the canon of medieval Armenian architecture, standing alongside other notable sites such as Aghtamar and Gandzasar.

History and Construction

The earliest structures at Makaravank date from the 10th and 11th centuries, with materials predominantly consisting of large, roughly hewn pieces of red tuff, a common building stone in Armenia. A key church within the complex, Surb Astvatsatsin (Holy Mother of God), was erected in 1198 using white stone and is attributed to Abbot Hovhannes, who commissioned it in memory of his parents and brothers. The main church, a domed hall, was completed in 1205, utilizing pink andesite for its construction and a red andesite for its accompanying gavit (narthex).

Architectural Complex

The Makaravank complex was historically enclosed by walls, with its gate adorned with columns. Numerous residential structures once occupied the enclosed area, including architectural pavilions that housed mineral springs. The buildings themselves are constructed from dark-pink andesite and red tufa, with occasional greenish stones. Evidence of a fence and a 12th or 13th-century spring or well exists outside the main walls, where a picnic area is now located.

Main Temple and Gavit

The main church, built in 1205 by Vardan, son of Prince Bazaz, is a domed hall where the under-dome space dominates the interior. Its design emphasizes verticality, with pillars supporting the dome connected to faceted pilasters and half-columns. The altar apses are decorated with geometric ornaments, including profiled eight-pointed stars and octagons, featuring varied and rich carving that is unique in medieval Armenian architecture. These carvings depict floral motifs, animals, and mythical creatures like sphinxes and sirens, with one octagon containing a figure inscribed as "eritasard," possibly a self-portrait of the carver. The exterior showcases a sun dial, a dove representation, and round windows with varied ornamentation. The dome drum is encircled by a graceful twenty-arch arcature.

The gavit, built with a donation from Prince Vache I Vachutian in 1224, is located to the left upon entering the circuit wall. Its facade bears sculptures of a sphinx and a lion attacking a bull. This four-columned narthex, built before 1207, served both churches and contains a door leading to a former communion bread bakery. Its decoration aligns with the artistic style of the main temple, particularly in its ornamental carving. The western portal features a stepped framing with a window above, and bas-reliefs of a winged sphinx and a lion attacking an ox are carved on the middle ledge.

Surb Astvatsatsin Church and Other Structures

The small Surb Astvatsatsin church, built in 1198, is a miniature building belonging to the type of four-apse centric round monuments. It is distinct in being round only in its lower part and octahedral in its upper section, with four triangular niches. Its dome is proportionate to its base, and its decoration harmonizes with the main temple and narthex, featuring reliefs of a stork, a snake, and two fighting beasts.

The most ancient structure is a 10th-century cross-winged domed church with corner annexes, notable for its rich carved ornamentation on the altar dais walls and window framings. Smaller chapels, built from ashlar stones, also feature carved door platbands.