The Church of “Shenadegheti Yeghtse” of Chapar village

The Church of “Shenadegheti Yeghtse” of Chapar village

Location

The monument is located on a high plateau (Fig. 1), approximately 0.5 km south of the village of Chapar in the Martakert region of the Republic of Artsakh.

Fig. 1 The location of the church, photo is taken from the certificate of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Artsakh.

Historical overview

There is little historical information available about the church. In his account of the village of Chapar, Makar Barkhudaryants observes that the local church and the nearby sanctuary are of considerable antiquity. Between the Chapar structure and the Khotay Monastery, numerous ruins have been identified, including destroyed churches and rest houses in the surrounding area (Barkhudaryants 1895, p. 203).

Chapar village is also referenced in inscriptions from the Dadivank and Charektar monasteries (CAE 5,  133, 216).

Architectural-compositional examination

The church is a three-nave, vaulted hall. Its construction comprises a combination of rough, small, and medium-sized stones held together by lime mortar (Figs. 2, 3). Inside the monument, there are several khachkars—some bearing inscriptions. These khachkars are dated to the 12th-13th centuries (Figs. 4-6). The church was likely constructed in the 17th century, as suggested by its external appearance and interior features. The interior of the church is plastered.

Surrounding the church, the remnants of the medieval village's defensive structures and the foundations of its domestic architecture are still discernible.

Fig. 2 The general view of the church, photo is taken from the certificate of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Artsakh.

Fig. 3 The interior of the church, photo is taken from the certificate of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Artsakh.

The condition before and after the war

The church is partially in ruins, with the eastern side of the monument-including the tabernacle and two sacristies-remaining intact. During the Soviet era, the church was repurposed for economic purposes. A large rectangular window was constructed on the eastern facade, and small walls were added in the collapsed areas. The west facade of the church, which likely housed the entrance, and the inscription detailing its construction have not been preserved.

Bibliography

  1. Barkhutareants 1895 - M. Barkhutareants, Artsakh, Baku.
  2. CAE 5 - Corpus of Armenian lithography, school 5, Artsakh, compiled by S. Barkhudaryan, Yerevan, 1982.
The Church of “Shenadegheti Yeghtse” of Chapar village
The Church of "Shenadegheti Yeghtse" of Chapar village
The Church of "Shenadegheti Yeghtse" of Chapar village
Artsakh