Akhtala Monastery Fortress

Name: Akhtala Monastery Complex
Monument type: Church- Monastic Complex, Fortress
Region: Lori Province
Periods: Medieval

Name: Akhtala Monastery Complex

Other nomination: Pghindzavank (Coppermine Monastery)

Monument type: Monastery complex, fortress

Region: Lori Province

Community: Akhtala

Residence: Akhtala town

Location: The fortress is located in the central part of the city with the monastery complex, on a high ground. The area is bordered by deep rocky canyons on three sides, and on the fourth northern side it joins the plateau.

Preservation: Only some parts of the walls and towers have been preserved from the castle. The main church, St. Trinity Monastery, St. Gevorg church and other spiritual structures have been preserved from the monastery complex.

Coordinates: 41°09′ 02.45” N 44°45’52.50” E

Altitude: 690 m

Era and chronology: The fortress dates back to the High Middle Ages, X-XII centuries. The structures of the monastery date back to the High Middle ages, the XIII century.

Akhtala: A Fortress, a Monastery, and Much Much more…

As you step into the Akhtala complex, also known as the Coppermine Monastery, you’ll quickly find yourself enveloped in an air of mystique that transcends the notions of time and space, welcoming you into the realm of the divine.

You’ll be inspired by the magnificence of this site, which has given rise to legends and tales, with two, in particular, woven into the fabric of Akhtala’s narrative. One of them involves the Statue of Liberty in New York City and the other about the Holy Cross of God.

What is certain is that Akhtala is not just a relic of the past; it’s a canvas for the present, meticulously crafted by the hands of man and seamlessly blending with Mother Nature herself. Its harmonious beauty and timeless charm have even served as the backdrop for filming parts of Parajanov’s iconic film, “The Color of Pomegranate.”

The Fortress: the Powerful Guarding of its Surroundings

The Akhtala fortress which is believed to have been founded by the Kurikians, dates from the 10th century to the 12th century. Constructed from coarse bluish basalt and crab concrete, this fortress which is relatively well-preserved, seamlessly integrates with its rugged natural surroundings. The castle’s sheer grandeur is heightened by its strategic location, surrounded by steep rocky ravines on three sides. A powerful three-story tower guarding the eastern entrance leaves a lasting impression on visitors.

The Monastery: the Graceful Pearl of the Complex

At the heart of the castle’s territory lies the magnificent St. Astvatsatsin Church, which dates back to 13th century. Originally built before Ivane Zakaryan’s arrival, this church underwent significant modifications to become an Orthodox place of worship. The church’s three-nave domed basilica design once featured a stone dome and spire, though sadly, these have not survived the test of time.

The exterior of St. Astvatsatsin Church is adorned with vertical relief crosses, intricately carved windows, and decorative sculptures.

The interior boasts stunning frescoes which are considered some of the best examples outside of Byzantium. They are of particular importance for the Chalcedonian Church and are valuable for the study of iconography. These include the iconic image of the Mother of God sitting on the throne, the Holy Communion, Hovhannes-Karabet, and mesmerizing Last Judgment-themed frescoes.

The prayer hall boasts three entrances, each adorned with magnificent parapets. The church underwent significant renovations in the 1970s, and in recent years, both the church and its surroundings have undergone thorough cleaning and beautification efforts.

During the rule of the Zakaryans, Akhtala saw the construction of various buildings and churches. Adjacent to St. Astvatsatsin’s western wall stands a rectangular ornate building, constructed before 1227, with an attached hall featuring twin gable roofs. This space is believed to be the resting place of Ivane and his son Avag.

A single-nave church with a gable roof graces the north-western side of the monastery, once accompanied by additional structures for the monastery’s use. On the church’s northern side was placed a two-story building of the monastery congregation. The spacious rectangular structure was contrstucted with rough basalt stones with wooden covers. Today, only the walls still stand to tell the story of this edifice.

Additionally, in Akhtala and its surrounding areas, there are several other notable monuments dating primarily from the 13th century. These include the St. Trinity Monastery, Twin churches, St. Gevorg church, various chapels, intricately carved khachkars, and the remnants of castle-type buildings.

Through meticulous cleaning and restoration efforts, Akhtala’s monastery complex continues to yield archaeological treasures and sculpted stones, shedding light on its architectural and historical significance.

The Coppermine Monastery’s history is shrouded in legends. According to one tale, the copper used to cast the Statue of Liberty in New York City was sourced from Akhtala. Another legend suggests that the Holy Cross of God, a significant Christian relic, once found its sanctuary in Akhtala.

FACTS

❈ The Akhtala fortress, believed to be founded by the Kurikians, dates from the 10th to the 12th century, constructed from bluish basalt and crab concrete, with a well-preserved structure and a strategic location surrounded by rocky ravines.

❈ The St. Astvatsatsin Church at the heart of the castle is a 13th-century marvel, known for its exterior relief crosses, intricately carved windows, and valuable frescoes, particularly the Last Judgment-themed paintings.

❈ The monastery complex includes additional buildings and churches, including the resting place of Ivane and his son Avag, a single-nave church, and a two-story building for the monastery congregation, revealing the heritage of the Zakaryans’ rule.

❈ In and around Akhtala, there are numerous other notable monuments from the 13th century, such as the St. Trinity Monastery, Twin churches, St. Gevorg church, chapels, khachkars, and remnants of castle-type buildings.

❈ The monastery complex, with meticulous cleaning and restoration efforts, continues to unveil archaeological treasures and sculpted stones, while legends connect Akhtala to the Statue of Liberty’s copper source and the sanctuary of the Holy Cross of God.

🔍 Research history

Historians Vardan Areveltsi, Kirakos Gandzaketsi testify about the castle and the monastery complex, who mention the castle under the name Pghindzavank (Coppermine Monastery). Researchers have thoroughly referred to the architecture, lithography and murals of the complex.

🧱 Archaeological description

Location
The main church of the complex, St. Astvatsatsin Church is located in the middle of the fortress’ territory along the longitudinal axis. There is a single-nave church, as well as the two-story building of the monastery’s congregation next to the main church.

Architecture
The fortress of Akhtala is believed to be founded by the Kurikians in the X century ruling there until the end of the XII century. It is one of the relatively well-preserved forts of Armenia, built of coarse bluish basalt mixed with crab concrete with the principle of harmonizing with the natural environment. The castle is surrounded by steep rocky ravines on three sides, and the passable places are fortified with towered fortress walls. The main entrance to the castle is from the northern side. The three-story, powerful tower on the eastern side of the entrance is impressive.

The main structure of Akhtala monastery complex is St. Astvatsatsin Church. It was built before Ivane Zakaryan settled here, who subjected the church to serious modifications, turning it into an Orthodox church. St. Astvastsatsin belongs to the three-nave domed basilica type. It had a dome with a stone drum and spire, which has not been preserved (according to the legend, it was destroyed by Timur Lenk’s raids in the XIV century). The church stands out with its large vertical relief crosses on all four fronts, windows decorated with carvings and sculptures, ornaments. The interior is decorated with frescoes; the image of Mother of God sitting on the throne preserved on the altar wall, the frescoes of the Holy Communion, Hovhannes-Karabet on the northern wall, the Last Judgment themed frescoes on the western wall, the saint images depicted on the pediments and under the arches are particularly noteworthy. The prayer hall has three entrances with magnificent parapets. The church underwent renovations in the 1970s. In recent years, the church and its surroundings have been cleaned and beautified.

During the Zakaryans’ rule, other buildings and churches were built here, with a rectangular planned ornate building standing out adjacent to the St. Astvatsatsin western wall (built before 1227). The hall covered with twin gable roofs was built adjacent to it. According to Kirakos Gandzaketsi, Ivane and his son Avag are buried here. There is an auxiliary building for church ceremonies adjacent to the northern wall of the main church.

A single-nave church with a gable roof stands separately on the north-western side of the monastery; it once had an attached structure. Remains of outbuildings intended for the monastery have been preserved.

The two-story building of the monastery congregation was revealed on the northern side of St. Astvatsatsin Church, of which only the walls are remained. It is a rectangular, spacious hall with the enclosure serving as the eastern wall. It was built with rough basalt stones with wooden covers.

Besides this, there are other mainly XIII century monuments in Akhtala and its surroundings as well (St. Trinity Monastery, Twin churches, St. Gevorg church, chapels, khachkars and remains of castle-type buildings).

Some parts of Parajanov’s film “The Color of Pomegranate” were also shot in Akhtala.

🔨 Findings

During the cleaning and improvement works of the monastery complex, various details of architectural structures, sculpted stones were found.

🌍 Significance

The frescoes of St. Astvatsatsin Church are among the best ones outside Byzantium and are of great importance in the study of iconography for the Chalcedonian Church.

📜 Traditional legends

According to one of the legends, the French cast the New York City Statue of Liberty from the Akhtala copper.

According to another legend, the Holy Cross of God, considered a significant Christian saint, was kept in Akhtala.

📚 Sources

Literature

Harutyunyan V. 1992, History of Armenian Architecture, Yerevan, “Luys”, 540 pages.
Shakhkyan G. 1986, Lori. Stone pages of history, Yerevan, “Armenia”, 184 pages.
Durnovo L. 1979, Essays on the Fine Arts of Medieval Armenia, Moscow, Art, 331p.
Lidov A. 2014, Paintings of the Akhtala monastery. History, iconography, masters, Moscow, 528s.
Khalpakhchyan O. 1971, Civil architecture of Armenia, Moscow, Ed. construction literature, p. 246.

List of monuments
Lori N 5.5.1.1

📷 Gallery

General plan of the monastic complex (Shakhkyan 1986, p. 130).
Plan of St. Astvatsatsin Church (Shakhkyan 1986, p. 131).
The entrance to the fortress in 1946. (Service for the Preservation of Historical Environment and Cultural Museum-reservations SNOC.).
The entrance to the fortress and the tower (photo by D. Mirijanyan).
The eastern, three-story tower of the fortress entrance (photo by D. Mirijanyan).
The general view of the monastery complex from the north (photo by D. Mirijanyan).
St. Astvatsatsin Church from the north-west (photo by D. Mirijanyan).
The decoration of the eastern facade of St. Astvatsatsin Church (photo by D. Mirijanyan).
The decoration of the southern facade of St. Astvatsatsin Church (photo by D. Mirijanyan).
The mural painting of the church altar (photo by D. Mirijanyan).
One of the walls decorated with frescoes of St. Astvatsatsin Church (photo by D. Mirijanyan).
The images of saints on the western wall of St. Astvatsatsin Church (photo by D. Mirijanyan).