Geghard

Geghard (" Գեղարդ " in Armenian) is a monastery Arménie N.

Presentation

The Monastery Holy-Lance of Geghard , located in Arménie, in the district of Kotayk', close to Erevan, was founded with the {{S|XIII|E}}. The characteristic of the monastery is to have built an underground part in which the priests involve themselves for their Liturgie. A lower vault carry the weapons of the Prochian family, where two surmounted of another lion attacking an ox and underlined faced lions eagle removing in its greenhouses a lamb.

Etymology

Geghard was called “monastery of the seven churches” or “monastery of the 40 furnace bridges”, probably with the Early middle ages. It was called, one can later, Geghardavank, which wants to say “monastery of the lance”.

History

One does not know the exact date of the foundation of the monastery, but it is estimated about it. Certain people affirm that it would have been founded in the time of the first Christians. It will become by the continuation a great center of Christianity in Arménie.

During the Arab invasion, it was used as refuge with the population. Then it is plundered by the Arabs and destroyed, there will remain only some buildings. The current monastery was founded at the 13th century century, by the families of Prochian, of which the church principal, built in 1215, and vaults, built in 1225.

The monastery is currently classified with the world heritage of UNESCO.

The monastery

The oldest part was destroyed, but there remains a building well preserved: The Saint-Gregoire vault. The principal church is Kathoghike , built in 1215, under the reign of Zakarian. It is made up of a Gavit, whose date of construction is unknown, then of a Zamatoun , which one could will define as a “small-nave”, decorated sculptures.

There remain Khatchkars around the monastery.

Photographs

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