Kecharis Monastery Complex

Name: Kecharis monastery complex
Monument type: Church – Monastic Complex
Region: Kotayk Province
Periods: Medieval

Name: Kecharis Monastery Complex

Other nomination: Kecharuyk monastery

Monument type: Medieval monastic complex, Kotayk diocese presbyterian church of the Armenian Apostolic Church

Region: Kotayk

Community: Tsaghkadzor

Residence: Tsaghkadzor town

Location: Tsaghkadzor town

Preservation: Standing, active

Coordinates: 40o31’56” 44o43’11”

Altitude: 1885 m

Era and chronology: The monastery was founded by the great prince Grigor Apirat of the Bagratuni state; in the 1050s, the monastery patron was the famous intellectual prince Grigor Magistros Pahlavuni, later, the Vachutyan and Proshyan powerful princes. It was an educational, cultural and writing center.

Kecharis Monastery: A Center of Enlightenment Emerging From the Mountains

You might visit Tsaghkadzor for its famous ski resort or to relax and enjoy its splendid views, but you may end up gaining a much more powerful experience from your visit—one that nourishes your spirit.

The Kecharis Monastery, this exquisite 11th-century gem, is a great testament to mankind’s ability to create wonders that perfectly complement the beauty of nature.

As a radiant beacon of light, this medieval marvel shines amidst the mountains, much like how it illuminated the region for countless centuries with wisdom and intellectual enlightenment.

A lineage of cultivated rulers has bestowed their legacy upon this complex, turning it into a thriving scriptorium and academic hub of Medieval Armenia.
It also served as the birthplace of major artistic and literary creations, such as Abbot Khachatur Kecharetsi’s renowned “Lamentation” written in 1295.

All the edifices within the monastery are meticulously crafted from hewn basalt stone.

• The main church, St. Grigor, was built in 1003.
It is a domed hall church with two-story altars attached to the upper tabernacle.
There are two entrances to the church, one on the south and another on the west side.

• Adjacent to St. Grigor Church, the Gavit or vestibule was constructed during the second half of the 12th century.
It is classified as a four-column vestibule, representing one of the earliest structures of its kind.
Noteworthy exterior decorations of the Gavit include a rectangular framed porch and a sundial adorning the southern facade, adding a touch of elegance to its simple yet captivating design.

• On the southeast of St. Grigor, you’ll find the St. Nshan Church, which dates back to the 11th century.
It features a centripetal cruciform design without vaults.
In 1223, the edifice underwent restoration.
Between the two churches, there used to be tomb-chapels, but only the eastern wall remains today, adorned with intricately carved khachkars.

• South from the St. Nshan Church stands the Katoghike Church, built in the first quarter of the 13th century.
It boasts a distinctive centripetal cross dome structure, featuring double-story vaults in each corner.
Setting it apart from other comparable churches, the entrance to the eastern repositories on the second floor is accessible from the upper tabernacle.
Unfortunately, the circular dome suffered damage and collapsed during the devastating earthquake of 1827.

• The St. Harutyun Church (Resurrection), constructed in 1220 by Hasan’s son, is a small domed hall-style church.
It stands out with its unique architectural layout, comprising a vestibule on the western side and a prayer hall with a semi-circular main altar, all connected in a linear arrangement from west to east.
Notably, the presence of burial sites suggests the existence of a dynastic tomb within the church.

The grandeur of this complex has inspired many legends.
One of them says that a princess from the Pahlavuni family requested the construction of a grand castle in a picturesque valley, accompanied by a magnificent flower garden.
Unfortunately, a powerful wind destroyed the garden one spring, scattering the flowers throughout the valley.
In response, the princess asked her father to build a monastery—Kecharis—where monks would pray for the flowers’ return.
However, their prayers went unanswered, and the fragrant flowers spread across the entire province.

FACTS

❈ The monastic complex serves as one of the major enlightenment centers of Medieval Armenia.

❈ The complex hosts three main churches, two chapels, and a vestibule.
There is another church nearby, as well as a number of well-preserved tombstones and cross-stones that hold significant value.

❈ A succession of intellectual patrons and enlightened princes have left their mark on this monastic marvel.

❈ Here, the much-treasured “Lamentation” by Abbot Khachatur Kecharetsi was written in 1295.

❈ According to legend, Kecharis was built upon the request of a princess who asked her father to construct a monastery where monks
could pray for the return of the flowers from her garden that were scattered throughout the valley due to a destructive wind.

🔍 Research history

There is little historical information about the monastery. In the scholarly literature, inscriptions, lists of abbots, and architecture have been the main focus. Issues related to the dating and the founder’s name of St. Grigor Church were clarified by archaeologist-lithographer G. Sargsyan and historian K. Matevosyan due to the recent studies.

🧱 Archaeological description

Location
On a small platform on the eastern slope of the Tsaghkunyats mountains, in the north-western part of the town of Tsaghkadzor.

Architecture
The main group of the complex consists of St. Grigor, St. Nshan, Katoghike churches, 2 zhamatuns and a vestibule, and St. Harutyun church is to the west of the above mentioned churches, on the road leading to the forest. Many tombstones and khachkars have been preserved around the monument (the most famous is Vetsik’s death statue).

St. Grigor the great church was built by the great prince Grigor Apirat in 1003. It belongs to the domed hall type churches with two-story altars attached to the upper tabernacle. The entrances are from the southern and western sides. The southern porch has a stylistic commonality with the Cathedral of Ani, Anberd Church. Above the western entrance is the Dehissus fresco.

St. Nshan church (Holy Sign) (XI century) is located south-east of the main church, it has a centripetal cruciform structure, without vaults. It was repaired by Mr. Vache in 1223. There were tomb-chapels between the 2 churches, of which only the eastern wall was preserved, decorated with khachkars.

The Kathoghike church is located south of the St. Nshan; it was built by the order of prince Vasak Khagbakyan, by the stonemason-architect

Vetsik in the first quarter of the XIII century. It has a centripetal cross-dome design with double-story vaults in all corners. It differs from other similar churches (Anberd) in a fact the eastern repositories entrance to the 2nd floor is opened from the upper tabernacle, and it is possible to reach the western repositories 2nd floor by the stone stairs. The round dome collapsed during the 1827 earthquake.

Gavit (the vestibule) (second half of the 12th century) is adjacent to St. Grigor church from the west; it belongs to the type of four-column vestibules (one of the earliest structures). The form of the vestibule roof is also found in Goshavank, Sanahin (end of the 12th century), Teheri Monastery (13th century). The small eastern two-storied repositories in the vestibule first appear in Kecharis. Later, they were used in the courtyards of Goshavank, Khoranashat, and Mshkavank. The rectangular framed porch and the sundial on the southern facade stand out among the simple exterior decoration.

St. Harutyun (Resurrection) (1220), built by Hasan’s son, is a small domed hall-type church. It is unique in its plan composition, consisting of a vestibule on the western side and a prayer hall with a semi-circular senior altar, wrapped together in a perimeter stretching from west to east. The 2 arched openings leading to the vestibule are separated by a pillar. The presence of burials suggests that there was a dynastic tomb.

All buildings of the monastery are built of hewn basalt stone. The monastery was consecrated on 9 July, 2000, after renovation (benefactor: V. Harutyunyan).

🌍 Significance

It is one of the famous monastic complexes of medieval Armenia. Abbot Khachatur Kecharetsi wrote his famous “Lamentation” in the monastery in 1295.

📜 Traditional legends

At the request of one of the princely maidens of the Pahlavuni family, a large castle was built in a beautiful valley, with a magnificent flower garden next to it; the most beautiful flowers in the world grew here at her request. However, one spring, the flower garden was destroyed by a fierce wind, and the flowers filled the valley, and it began to be called Tsaghkadzor. The princess asked her father to build a monastery for the abbots to pray every night to return the scattered flowers. The Kecharis monastery was built, but God did not respond to the monks’ prayers, and the fragrant flowers spread throughout the province.
According to the legend, a silver chain gifted by Grigor Magistros hung from the dome of Tsaghkadzor Cathedral, which was stolen by Muslims during the destruction of the monastery, and because of that chain, Tsaghkadzor was called Znjrlu (Turkish: “Znjil”, “chain”).

📚 Sources

Emir 1892, Tsaghkadzor and Kecharu monasteries, “Araks” literary and artistic illustrated journal, Book A, St.-Petersburg,
Printing house Y. I. Lieberman, 1892, pp. 17-30.
Lalayan E. 1912, Nor-Bayazet province. Famous monasteries. Kecharis, Ethnographic Journal, Book 22, pages 101-112,
Book 23, pages 125-132.
Ghanalanyan A. 1969, Legends, Yerevan, Armenian SSR Academy of Sciences ed., 530 pages.
Matevosyan K. 2015, Grigor Apirat Master. The 11th century forgotten great prince, Vem, N 3, pp. 24-41.
Khalpakhchyan O. Kh. 1980, Architectural Ensembles of Armenia (8th century BC – 19th century AD), Moscow, Art, 480 p.

List of monuments
Kotayk 6.5.15