Ptghni Monastery

Name: Ptghni Monastery
Monument type: Church and Monastic Complex
Region: Kotayk Province
Periods: Medieval

Name: Ptghni Monastery

Other nomination: Ptghnavank, Ptghni temple

Monument type: Church

Region: Kotayk

Community: Ptghni

Residence: Ptghni village

Location: Center of Ptghni village, surrounded by residential buildings․

Preservation: The monument is in ruins. Only the northern wall has been completely preserved, with adjacent quarters, a repository and sections of vaulted shelters. To some extent, the central and eastern parts of the southern wall have been preserved, the eastern wall and the eastern dome-bearing arch have been partially preserved. The western wall is almost completely destroyed.

Coordinates: 40o15’24” 44o35’06”

Altitude: 1300 m

Ptghni Chruch: Nature Immortalized in Stone

Ptghni has the power to captivate you from a distance.

Though time has certainly taken its toll, leading to the demolition of parts of its arches and walls, the remaining fragments of this church still proudly stand, narrating a story veiled in mystery. However, it is only when you draw closer to examine the tales etched onto its stones that the true charm of this temple unveils itself.

Apart from being an exemplary early medieval dome-hall structure, the church is renowned for its exquisitely carved adornments. From intricate geometric elements to meticulous depictions of a lion, palm trees, birds, grapes, and other sculptural ornaments, the church stands as a genuine masterpiece!

Furthermore, the name “Ptghni,” shared by both the village and the temple, pays homage to the abundant offerings of nature. Translated as “full of fruit” in Armenian, Ptghni reverently acknowledges the plentiful fruit trees that have adorned the village throughout its history. These very trees, along with other elements of nature, forever immortalized in the church’s stones, serve as a testament to the rich tapestry of Ptghni’s heritage.

Ptghnavank was constructed on the location where an older church once stood. Adjacent to the southern wall, another church, St. Astvatsatsin, was built in 1857, but it did not survive.

The architectural layout of Ptghni is rectangular, following the characteristic Armenian three-nave basilica style with a symmetrical structure (1 x 2). There are remnants of a toothed cornice integrated into the altar wall’s cladding, as well as two stones reused on the southern facade, which likely belonged to the original structure dating back to the 5th to 6th centuries.

Constructed from reddish and ash-purple tuff, the temple boasted three porches and fifteen expansive windows. Notably, the marks left by the skilled craftsmen have been meticulously preserved on the stones.

Ptghavanq is renowned for its opulent embellishments, characterized by intricate ornaments and sculptures adorned with botanical and geometric motifs.

One of the most famous can be found on a red tufa slab situated to the right of the southern entrance, near a window. It depicts a lion positioned beneath a palm tree, accompanied by two seated rams. The carving is intricate. The lion can be attributed to the scene “Daniel in the lion’s den” based on its iconographic characteristics, although the complete composition has not survived. The theme of Daniel was widely represented in early medieval Armenian art. However, the presence of rams and palm trees in this context is remarkable and uncommon.

Another noteworthy element is an incomplete upside-down carving of a grapevine located to the left of the lion sculpture.

There is also an interesting sight to spot located on the arch of the south window. It depicts a captivating scene, the “Ascension of Christ.” Additionally, the horizontal wings of the arch showcase dramatic battle scenes between a man and an animal.

The exact period when the temple was destroyed remains unknown. By the second half of the 19th century, only the eastern and northern walls of the temple remained standing. In the 1970s, only the eastern wall of the temple was still intact.

Wall fortification efforts took place between 1939 and 1940. In 1959, conservation works were carried out to preserve the monument. As part of these efforts, the dilapidated church building, which had been repurposed as a warehouse, was dismantled.

Further improvements were made to the monument’s surroundings in 1978, enhancing the overall appearance of the site.

FACTS

❈ Surrounded by residential buildings, the church is located in the village that shares the same name, in the Kotayk region.

❈ The name Ptghni, which translates to “full of fruit” in Armenian, pays homage to the village’s abundant fruit trees and breathtaking nature.

❈ The church has a rectangular layout. The structure of the temple marks the peak of the development of the domed hall architectural style, making it
the earliest and finest exemplar of this type.

❈ The abundantly carved famous decorations on the church’s stones are one of its most notable features. You can find various historical scenes, botanical themes, and geometric ornaments all over the structure.
One of the most well-known decorations is a depiction of a lion from the famous “Daniel in the Lion’s Den” story, along with a meticulously carved palm tree.

🔍 Research history

The temple is considered one of the best examples of its kind. Philologist G. Hovsepyan thoroughly studied it. N. Tokarsky is also one of the first researchers. It is mentioned in the works dedicated to the Armenian early medieval architecture and domed halls.

🧱 Archaeological description

Stratigraphy
Ptghnavank was built on the site of the more ancient church. The structure symmetry (1 x 2), characteristic of Armenian three-nave basilicas, the stones of the first row of the wall, as well as the three-tiered foundation testify to this. The fragment of the toothed cornice preserved in the lining of the altar wall and the 2 stones reused on the southern facade probably belonged to that structure (V-VI centuries). A lion standing under a palm tree with 2 rams sitting at its feet, is carved on a red tufa slab to the right of the southern entrance, near the window, and in the upper right-hand corner there is an open wrist pointing upwards. Due to the iconographic features, the lion was part of the scene “Daniel in the lion’s den” (the complete composition has not been preserved). The theme of Daniel was widespread in early medieval Armenian art (Aghtsk, Yerznka, Harich, etc.), but here the images of rams and palm trees are exceptional. The latter is one of the earliest examples of the Armenian art dating to the late V century (Kasagh, Amaras). An incomplete image of a grapevine is carved to the left of the lion sculpture (placed upside down), reminiscent of the high sculpture with a harvest scene found during the excavations of Dvin (St. Mnatsakanyan).

It is not known when the temple was destroyed. In the 2nd half of the XIX century, only the eastern and northern walls were standing. In the 70s of the XX century the eastern wall of the temple was standing.

Wall fortification works were carried out in 1939-1940. The monument conservation works were conducted in 1959: the dilapidated building of the church, served as a warehouse, and adjacent to the southern wall was removed, the old stone fence was demolished. The territory of the monument was also improved in 1978.

Architecture
The temple is a rectangular hall (15.7 x 30.4 m, prayer hall – 10.3 x 23.8 m) stretching from east to west, with 2 pairs of massive masonry elements protruding from the longitudinal walls. The passage to the dome was carried out by trompers. The rectangular vaults with apses are adjacent to the semicircular upper tabernacle. The eastern wall is externally highlighted by a pair of triangular niches. The second floor of the repository is made up of vaulted crypts, which are of considerable height and lined with regularly worked stones (as in the great temple of Talin). The temple was built of reddish and ash-purple tuff and had 3 porches, 15 wide-span windows. Marks of masters have been preserved on the stones.

The ancient stone pavement and the lower stage of the upper tabernacle have been preserved in their original form.

It has a rich sculptural decoration: vegetative, geometric ornaments, cruciform sculptures, birds, a row of jugs on the cornice of the northern facade, exceptional sculptures. On the arch of the south window is the “Ascension of Christ” scene, and on its horizontal wings are fighting scenes between a man and an animal. Only a short inscription has been preserved on the left-hand image, mentioning Manvel Amatuni. Most probably, the patrons of Ptghni (G. Hovsepyan, Z. Hakobyan) or the heroic ancestors of the Amatun family, who died heroically in the IV century, are depicted during the Armenian-Persian war (St. Mnatsakanyan).

St. Astvatsatsin Church (M. Smbatyants) was built in 1857 adjacent to the southern wall of the temple; it has not been preserved.

🌍 Significance

The Ptghni temple marks the end of the formation of the so-called domed hall type, being the earliest and best example of that type.

📜 Traditional legends

The village was rich in fruit trees (grapes, pears, apples, etc.) and unfruitful trees, hence the name “Ptghni” – full of fruit (M. Smbatyants).

📚 Sources

Literature

Hakobyan Z. 2016, Armenian early medieval sculpture (4th-7th centuries). Lectures, Yerevan, YSU ed., 169 pages.
Hovhannisyan K. 1978, The renovation of architectural monuments in Soviet Armenia, Yerevan, Hayastan ed., 249 pages.
Hovsepyan G. 1944, Materials and Studies in the History of Armenian Art and Culture, Prac G, New York, 136 pages.
Mnatsakanyan S. 1961, Ptghni temple, Historical-philosophical journal, N 3-4, pp. 119-237.
Smbateants M. 1895, Topography of Gegharkunik Tsovazard province, now Nor-Bayazit province, Vagharshapat, print.
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, 843 pages.
Kazaryan A. 2012, Church architecture of the Transcaucasian countries of the 7th century: the formation and development of
traditions, Volume III, Moscow: Locus Standi, 692 p.

List of monuments
Kotayk 6.54.5