ETCHMIADZIN

Etchmiadzin (in Armenian: Էջմիածին , in Russian: Вагаршапат ) or Vagharshapat ( Վաղարշապատ , official name but seldom used) is a town of Arménie located at a score of kilometers of Erevan.

It is in Etchmiadzin that the seat of the Armenian apostolic Église is.

Geography

Etchmiadzin is located at 20 kilometers of Erevan, capital of the Arménie. It also constitutes largest Banlieue of Erevan. It is made of a downtown area, where are installed several church S and of the low houses. The city even has a park in the Center-ville. The center is surrounded by a large avenue and some dwellings around. The principal place is called “Komitas”, in the honor of Vertapet Komitas, musician and type-setter. The Ville (with share churches) is not of great interest. Apart from small the Agglomeration, are located the archeological site of Zvartnots and the most important airport of Arménie: the “International airport of Zvartnots”.

History

Etchmiadzin, whose name of origin is Vagharchapat, was founded between 570 and 560 before J-C. The city, being called at that time Varguésavan, was renamed via king Vagharch Ier (117 - 1140) of the Dynastie arsacide which will name it Vagharchapat. It strengthens also the city which becomes a city-residence.

The Roman army made an incursion into the area in 163. They re-elected the city in a Greek name , “Kainepolis” which means “new city”. At that time, Vagharchapat is the capital of Arménie to the profit of Artashat which loses this statute. Vagharchapat continues to be the Capitale and obtains an important place thanks to the installation of the seat of the Armenian apostolic church founded by Gregoire Ier the Illuminator and the construction of the Holy-Etchmiadzin cathedral.

The Arménie and Vagharchapat lose their independence in 428; the country is under Persian domination. After this period, Vartan Mamikonian restores the cathedral in 484. Then one attends a constructive fever: the library in which the Manuscrit S are stored, the Matenadaran is created in 486, the Holy-Hripsimé church is built in 618, Holy-Gayané in 630; out of the city east builds the cathedral of Zvartnots between 641 and 652, in a new style architectural in Arménie.

At the beginning of the Middle Ages, Vagharchapat is a commercial city. There are many inhabitants of various origins: Armenian of course, but also Greek, Persian, Assyrian and even Jewish. Thereafter the city knows a small decline but it reconsiders the front of the scene in 1441, when it becomes again the seat of the catholicossat, which was until there in Sis in Cilicie.

During the 18th century, French Jean-Baptiste Chardin visit the city in 1673 and draws a panorama representing of it the religious buildings. He will be imitated later by another French Jean-Baptiste Tavernier at the time of his voyage in Arménie of 1655 with 1662.

Always during the 18th century, the city is in work, with in particular the construction of new buildings and the restoration of some church S. the city knows an economic advancement; it is located on a commercial axis, it is that of Tabriz - Erevan - Erzeroum. Vagharchapat is under the domination of Persians in 1828. Later, at the 20th century, other infrastructures are built in the center of the city. It is renamed Etchmiadzin between the years 1945 and 1995. With the demographic boom, currently, it constitutes the main city of the urban surface of Erevan and one of the most important cities of the Arménie. It is especially a holy place for the Armenians thanks to the seat of the Armenian apostolic church located in its center. Since 2000, the religious complex of Etchmiadzin and the archeological site of Zvartnots are registered with UNESCO.

Grace in particular to twinning with the French city of Issy-les-Moulineaux in 1989 (in which live many Armenian of the diaspora), the city can consider prospects for the future.

Religious buildings

The great monastic complex of Etchmiadzin, which is currently the seat of the Catholicos of all the Armenian , consists of several buildings or group of building dating from IVe, Ve, VIe and XVIIe centuries. The old name of the city where is the monastic complex, Vagharchapat , disappeared during the XX century (see higher).

Today, the seat of the Armenian apostolic Église shelters the chancellery catholicossale, a great seminar and a museum.

Holy-Etchmiadzin cathedral

This cathedral is the oldest Armenian Christian building. Its first construction goes back to 303, it was thereafter remade in 484. During following centuries, the church was altered many times, and only the walls north, south and west date from the 4th century. The 18th century is the period when the monument was the most once altered; the current aspect of the Cathédrale is due to that: construction of the cupola in 1627, the bell-tower on two floors in 1658, of the skylight in 1683 and the interior frescos of a curiously Persan style.

The cathedral has, for example, of beautiful testimonys of the Christian Armenian sculpture with on a low-relief Saint-Paul and Saint-Thècle as well as birds with a cross. Holy-Etchmiadzin has in its possession three relics: that of the lance of Passion, the hand of Saint-Gregoire, and the wood of the Arch of Noah.

Holy-Hripsimé church

The Holy-Hripsimé church goes back to 618. Although it was, as for the Holy-Etchmiadzin cathedral, restored at the 18th century, it keeps its original aspect which testifies well to Armenian architecture. During this restoration, are built the porch (in 1653) surrounded by a wall builds much later, in 1776. From an architectural point of view, the church is tétraconque with niche of angles. It has a Gavit (a kind of Narthex) with crowning a whole a high Coupole.

Holy-Gayané church

The Holy-Gayané church was built in 630. There would have been on the site even the martyrdom of this Gayané which was a Roman young girl taken refuge in Arménie. Later the Gavit is built in 1688. The church is also renovated like the others at the 18th century, from where its current appearance. It has a octagonal Coupole located in the middle of small the Nef and of the Transept, drum such an octagonal and bored to him of four windows, the whole resting on arcs.

Church of Choghagat

The church of Choghagat (which is written also Choghakath ) was built, like Holy-Gayané, Holy-Hripsimé and Holy-Etchmiadzin, about the 7th century. The only difference is that we do not know the exact date of the construction of the building. Unfortunately, the church was destroyed then rebuilt in 1695. It is of a longitudinal plan but with single nave thanks to the arcs which carry the Coupole on Pilastre S leant with the side walls.

Saint-Astvatsatsin church

The church Saint-Astvatsatsin, like the others, is built about the 4th century. It was rebuilt about the year 1767. Currently, it occupies a function and a “celebrity” much less important than the other religious buildings of Etchmiadzin.

Twinnings

since 1989

Photographs

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