The church of Voskepar from the south-west, north-west, north-east, north and east / Ոսկեպարի տաճարը հարավ-արևմուտքից, հյուսիս-արևմուտքից, հյուսիս- արևելքից, հյուսիսից և արևելքից

Partial views of the church of Voskepar / Հատվածներ Ոսկեպարի Սբ. Աստվածածին տաճարից

The western entrance of the church of Voskepar / Ոսկեպարի տաճարի արևմտյան մուտքը

The cross relief adorning the tympanum of its southern entrance / հարավային մուտքի բարավորի խաչաքանդակը

The dome of the church of Voskepar; its interior to the south and north; measurements(its wetern and eastern facades); details; the plan of the monument and its section to the east/ Տեսարաններ Ոսկեպարի տաճարի ներքին ծավալներից. ա) գմբեթը, բ) դեպի հարավ, գ) դեպի հյուսիս, չափագրություններ, արևմտյան և արևելյան ճակատները, մանրամասներ, հատակագիծը և կտրվածք դեպի արևելք

The ring-shaped ornaments adorning the upper parts of the squinches of the corners of the tambour facets and a scene from the restoration of the church in 1917 (photos by J.-M. Thierry) / թմբուկի նիստերի անկյուններում եղած տրոմպների վերնամասում առկա օղազարդերը և մի պահ 1977թ. վերականգնման աշխատանքներից (լուս.՝ Ժ.-Մ. Թիերրիի)

SOURB ASTVATZATZIN CHURCH OF VOSKEPAR

25.07.2013 17:57

The monument is situated not far from the left bank of the river Voskepar, in the territory of a formerly-inhabited place that goes back to at least the Early Middle Ages, around 400 metres northeast of the village, at an altitude of 735 metres above sea level (N 41°04.25.27´´; E 045°04.32.47´´).

It is a church of rare architectural merits, but despite this, even topographers report very scanty information regarding it. The first, and perhaps, the only researcher to mention it is S. Kamalian, who wrote the following in 1884: “...This monastery is built on the verge of a gorge in the east of the old village. It is a cruciform monument of finely-finished stone both inwardly and outwardly and has a newly-constructed dome...”₁. The sanctuary belongs to the so-called

Mastara type of churches and goes back to the 7^th century, like the other surviving monuments of the same composition.

Inwardly, Sourb Astvatzatzin has semi-circular apses opening from its square prayer-hall (5.4 x 5.4 metres) in the four directions of the horizon. Their centres of curvature fall within the façade line by 65 cm.

The underdome square joins the dome by means of squinches.

The church is entirely built of regular blocks of finely-dressed felsite of lime and sand.

Its pointed spire as well as its entire roof is covered with slabs which have semi-cylindrical endings.

As is typical of the Armenian Chalcedonian churches of the 7th century, Sourb Astvatzatzin originally had a low bema which had the height of only a single step. However, during its restoration in the 1970s, it was unnecessarily raised by another one.

A vestry of a rectangular plan, extending from the east westward, is found on either side of the main apse.

The church has two similar portals which open from its southern and western facades. Light is let in through three windows opening from its facades (only the northern facade lacks one) and four others belonging to its octahedral tambour. Besides, each of the sacristies has a window opening from the east.

On the whole, Sourb Astvatzatzin has plain decoration, in which particularly noteworthy are the portals and the sculptured crowns of the windows of the three facades and tambour. The base of the southern pilaster of the western portal is adorned with fish reliefs.

The interior of the church is remarkable for simpler ornamentation to such an extent that even the built-in-wall capitals lack any embellishment. Special mention should be made of only the simple ring-shaped patterns carved on the upper part of the small angular squinches of the facets of the octahedral tambour.

_{1 Քաջիկեան, Ճանապարհորդական յիշատակարան, «Արձագանք», 1888, 3 ապրիլի, դ 12, էջ 159:}

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