Church > The Surb Astvatsatsin Church of Ashan

The Surb Astvatsatsin Church of Ashan

Location

The Surb Astvatsatsin Church is situated in the village of Ashan, within the Martuni region, specifically in the Old Ashan village (Fig. 1).

Since September 2023, the village has been under the occupation of Azerbaijan.

Fig. 1 The general view of the church, photo from the Database of the RA MESCS.

Historical overview

Ashan village is situated approximately 25 km northwest of Martuni city. According to M. Barkhudaryants, approximately half of the village's population consists of natives, while the other half comprises migrants from Jraberd (Barkhutareants, 1895, 121). The Surb Astvatsatsin Church, based on its dimensional layout and the elaborate sculptures adorning the porch facing south (Fig. 2), bears resemblance to the porches of temples such as Herher, Tsakurii Tsakhkavank, and Yerit Mankants. This architectural style suggests that the church likely dates back to the 17th century. The entrance lintel features four relief crosses. Above the bar, there are decorative slabs with crosses and six-pointed stars inlaid in six-pointed circles. Later, the inscription "paving the church" was inscribed in the left corner of the tabernacle (Fig. 3). "The stone floor of this church in memory of Nancy ter Avak, 1896" (the inscription is published for the first time). The mention of the church's paving in this inscription has led to confusion among some researchers, who previously thought it to be a 19th-century structure.

Fig. 2 The church porch, photo from the Database of the RA MESCS.

Fig. 3 The inscription of the lintel, photo from the Database of the RA MESCS.

Architectural-compositional examination

It is a rectangular-shaped single-nave hall with a semicircular tabernacle on the eastern side and two sacristies (Fig. 4). The church is built with local semi-finished and unfinished gray stone, and its cornerstones, curb stones, pillars, and arches are made of white limestone and polished. It measures 17.95 meters in length, 12.85 meters in width, and 5.8 meters in height. The vault is supported by a pair of wall arches. On the north wall, situated near the tabernacle, there is a baptismal font crafted from polished slabs, surrounded by intricately carved woven rope motifs (Fig. 5). The lower edge of the basin is adorned with cross sculptures, and the church is illuminated by six small windows. Outside, in the western corner of the southern wall, there is a fragmented khachkar dating back to the 12th-13th centuries (Fig. 6).

During the Soviet era, the church underwent a transformation and was repurposed as a warehouse. However, in 2011, it underwent renovation efforts, during which a bell tower-rotunda featuring a small metal structure was installed. Additionally, the roof was covered with tin as part of the renovation process.

Fig. 4 The senior tabernacle and sacristies of the church, photo from the Database of the RA MESCS.

Fig. 5 The baptismal font, photo from the Database of the RA MESCS.

Fig. 6 The khachkar encased in the south wall, photo from the Database of the RA MESCS.

The condition before, during, and after the war

During the military operations of both 2020 and 2023, the church remained unscathed and did not suffer any damage. There is currently no available information regarding the current state of the monument.

Bibliography

  1. Barkhutareants 1895 - Barkhutareants M., Artsakh, Baku.
  2. Mkrtchyan 1985 - Mkrtchyan Sh., Historical and architectural monuments of Nagorno Karabakh, "Hayastan" publishing house, Yerevan.
The Surb Astvatsatsin Church of Ashan
The Surb Astvatsatsin Church of Ashan
The Surb Astvatsatsin Church of Ashan
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