Church > The Surb Astvatsatsin Church of Zardanashen

The Surb Astvatsatsin Church of Zardanashen

Location

The Surb Astvatsatsin Church is situated in the heart of Zardanashen village, Martuni region, Republic of Artsakh (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1 The general view of the church, photo from the informative monuments database of NKR.

Historical overview

Zardanashen village, also known as Verin (Upper) Taghavard, (Balayan 2020, 424) is described by Makar Barkhudaryants. He notes that "...the church was newly built at the expense of the people, stone-built and not yet consecrated, the length is 18 meters 35 centimeters, the width is 9 meters 65 centimeters, the priest is one..." However, Barkhudaryants does not specify the date of construction of the church. The elders of Zardanashen village claimed that the village church was constructed by the same builders who built the Surb Astvatsatsin Church of Nerkin (Inner) Taghavard.

Architectural-compositional examination

The Surb Astvatsatsin Church is constructed using local white limestone, with small and medium-sized stones held together with lime mortar. The cornerstones, main entrance, and windows are made of polished stone. The primary entrance, located on the south side, is arched and formed by a double arch (Fig. 2). Additionally, there is a small entrance on the west side of the church. Carved onto the lintel are three crosses, with a space in the center possibly intended for a construction inscription, although none is present. Each of the south and north facades features three windows (Fig. 3). Inside, the church consists of a single-nave, vaulted structure with sacristies (Fig. 4).

Fig. 2 The main entrance to the church, photo from the informative monuments database of NKR.

Fig. 3 The Church windows, photo from the informative monuments database of NKR.

Fig. 4 The interior view of the church, photo from the informative monuments database of NKR.

The Surb Astvatsatsin Church in Zardanashen bears similarities to the village churches constructed in many villages of Artsakh during the 19th century. Therefore, it can be reasonably dated to the 19th century. Considering Barkhudaryants' description of it as a new building, it can be assumed that the church was already constructed by the time of his publication in 1895.

The condition before and after the war

The church remained undamaged throughout the Artsakh wars. During the Soviet era, it served as a warehouse, and it remained non-functional after the 1990s. Adjacent to the southern wall of the church stands a khachkar monument (spring) commemorating the village's casualties in the first Artsakh war (Fig. 5). The church's roof, covered with tin, is partially demolished. Following its occupation by Azerbaijani armed forces, there is no available information regarding the church's current status.

Fig. 5 The khachkar-spring installed near the southern wall of the church, photo from the informative monuments database of NKR.

Bibliography

  1. Barkhutareants 1895 - Barkhutareants M., Artsakh, Baku.
  2. Balayan 2020 - Balayan V., Outlines of the History of Settlements of the Republic of Artsakh, Yerevan.
The Surb Astvatsatsin Church of Zardanashen
The Surb Astvatsatsin Church of Zardanashen
The Surb Astvatsatsin Church of Zardanashen
Artsakh