BERDAVANK MONASTERY

Berdavank stands on a south-east-facing wooded mountain slope, on the left bank of the river Voskepar, 6 km west of the village, at an altitude of 1,054 metres above sea level (N 41°03.18.96´´; E 044°59.04.74´´).

The original historical name of the monastery has fallen into oblivion and the local people simply call it Berdavank, which may be literally translated as ‘Monastery of the Castle.’ It consists of a central-domed church, which is adjoined by a hall all across its western facade, has two double-floor sacristies in the east and is enclosed within multangular solid ramparts. The eastern section of these fortified walls, which is comparatively better preserved (length: 73.5 metres), is consolidated by three semi-circular towers. The monastery also used to have a second row of ramparts, the only vestige of which is their south-eastern part with an angular semi-tower.

As far as exterior dimensions are concerned, the church of Berdavank (25.40 x 16.82 metres) even exceeds that of Kirants Monastery (18.20 x 12.81 metres), which is situated within 4 km of it in a straight line and was probably erected during the same period. As for their composition and building peculiarities, these two monuments are quite similar.

Like the church of Kirants Monastery, that of Berdavank is mainly built of burnt brick (25.5-27 x 26 x 4.5-4.8 cm), which also comprises some glazed particularly blue. The cornices of the church and hall are built of stone and embellished with splendid reliefs₁.

Inwardly, the church used to be plastered and enriched with beautiful frescoes, only some remnants of which can now be seen. Due to the destruction of the monument, these meagre mural remains are exposed to the disastrous influence of natural phenomena, in the aftermath of which, their colours have considerably faded away and even completely vanished in some parts.

At present the surviving remnants of the church comprise its double-floor northern sacristy, part of the northern curvature of the apes adjoining it (up to the side wall of the northern of the three windows opening from the apes) as well as the section adjoining the northern corner of the western wall.

As for the hall adjoining the church in the west, its northern wing is still preserved in a state of decomposition.

The study of the composition, architectural, stylistic and artistic peculiarities of the church of Berdavank and its comparison with other similar monuments (particularly, Kirants Monastery) found in the region lead us to the conviction that it is one of those monuments preserved in North- Eastern Armenia that were founded by Armenian Chalcedonians in the 13th century. It also functioned as a significant spiritual centre₂.

_{1 In the Soviet years, one of the cornice stones of the monastery was removed and used in the construction of the Grigorians’ (formerly: Talan’s) Spring \N 41°03.31.38´´; E 044°59.21.66´´; 1,035 metres above sea level).}

_{2 Regretful as it is, for many decades (until the 1950s), the nearby Azerbaijanis used Berdavank as a “quarry” of brick: they kept destroying the church of the monastery to use its brick blocks for the construction of their hearths. In this way, they greatly ruined this magnificent edifice in the course of time.}