KIRANTS MONASTERY

Location. The monastery is situated at the edge of the slightly-slanting slope of a gorge extending on the left side of the Kirants Joor stream, in the depth of a thick forest, about 6 km south-west of Ajarkut Village (Tavush Region, Republic of Armenia) in a straight line (Dzoropor (Kayan) District of Gugark Province, Armenia Maior), at an altitude of 1,034 metres above sea level (N 41°00°42.90´´; E 044°59°25.62´´).

Name Origin. As legend has it, the monument was built by a young mason who invited his master to assess his first work after he had completed it. Unable to find any drawbacks, the envious craftsman told him that he had used too much lime (in Armenian: kir antskatsnel); hence comes the name of ‘kirants.’

Dating. There exist no lapidary or historiographical records relating to the foundation of the monastery, but the composition, building and ornamentation peculiarities of the structures forming part of the complex allow us to trace it back to the 13th century.

A Historical Introduction. This spiritual centre was originally founded by the Armenian Chalcedonian community, which returned to the bosom of the Armenian Apostolic Church about a century later, at least in the mid-14th century, due to the end of the political supremacy of the Byzantines and Georgians.

Kirants Monastery belonged to the Armenian Apostolic Church until its destruction in the ‘20s of the 18th century.

A cemetery extending south-west of the main church of the complex retains the tombstones of several priors reposing side by side. One of them perpetuates the memory of Archimandrite Matias with the following epitaph:

Այս է տապան | Մատիայ վ(ա)րդ(ա)յ|պետ(ին), ՌՃԽ (1691), | ...:

Transl.: In this grave reposes Archimandrite Matia, 1140 ¥1691¤...

An Architectural Description. The monastic complex consists of three churches, two vestibules (narthexes), a refectory as well as residential and utility buildings enclosed within ramparts.

The religious structures of the monastery are built of burnt brick and their bases comprise each a row of finely-dressed stone. The utility buildings are constructed of stone.

The main church represents a domed hall of two pylons, with vestries of a rectangular plan on either side of its semi-circular sanctuary. The tambour, which is octahedral and directed upwards outwardly and cylindrical inwardly, lies beneath the pointed spire. It rests on a pair of wall pylons and on the arches joining the angular parts of the sanctuary by means of pendentives. The church has two entrances opening from its western and southern facades. The facade of the bema and the entrance frames are accentuated with finely-dressed stones and adorned with plant and geometrical reliefs. The eastern facade is outwardly decorated with a pair of triangular recesses.

The interior of the church, which is covered with plaster, is enriched with icons and frescoes of Biblical themes. The former have Georgian and Greek inscriptions.

The outer ornamentation of the church is especially remarkable for its tambour, on which the space between the arches is covered with multi-coloured glazed slabs showing the stars and moon.

The artistic perceptions of those times are also reflected in the reliefs of the cornices.

Southern and Northern Churches. In the north and south, the main church is adjoined by uni-nave vaulted churches which are built of brick and have each an entrance opening from the west. Each of them has a pent-roof.

Western and Southern Vestibules. These are vaulted structures, each with a wide arched opening, adjoining the main church in the west and south. In the plan, the southern vestibule more resembles a square, with its entrance arch in its southern facade. The western one is rectangular in the plan and abuts on the main church with all its width.

The refectory is located about 10 metres west of the main church. It represents a large vaulted hall of a gable roof, an entrance opening from the east and arches which rest on three pilasters adjoining each of the northern and southern walls. The refectory is built of undressed, semi-finished sandstone and pebble. Finely-dressed stones are used in the vault-bearing arches as well as entrance and window frames. Its interior still preserves some traces of the murals once decorating it. The refectory is preserved standing, but in emergency condition. Its western wall is thoroughly in ruins.

This refectory of Kirants Monastery is the largest of the monuments of medieval Armenian architecture having a similar composition (Kobair, Geghard, Hnevank, etc.).

Annexes. The remnants of several vaulted buildings can be seen west of the refectory. The traces of some residential and utility structures are preserved in the south of the monastery.

Cemeteries. Two graveyards extend in the monastery grounds. One of them dates from the Chalcedonian period of its activity and is attributed to the 13th century, burials being held there until the mid-14th century. It lies east of the main church and comprises more than twenty undressed stone slabs. The other cemetery retains the remains of the Apostolic priors who were the spiritual leaders of the monastery from the mid-14th century until the ‘20s of the 18th century.

At present both these cemeteries are semi-ruined.

The ramparts of the monastery are only partially preserved. In the west they have a wide arched gate which used to be surmounted by a watch tower.

Kirants Monastery has never undergone overhaul and is now in a bad state of decrepitude.