Tejharuyk Monastery

Coordinates: 40°35′52″N 44°38′41″E / 40.597816°N 44.644806°E / 40.597816; 44.644806
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Tejharuyk Monastery
Tejharuyk Monastery, October 2014
Religion
AffiliationArmenian Apostolic Church
RegionCaucasus
StatusInactive, ruins
Location
LocationMeghradzor, Kotayk Province,  Armenia
Tejharuyk Monastery is located in Armenia
Tejharuyk Monastery
Shown within Armenia
Geographic coordinates40°35′52″N 44°38′41″E / 40.597816°N 44.644806°E / 40.597816; 44.644806
Architecture
TypeMonastery
Groundbreaking1196
Completed1196-99

Tejharuyk (

Zakarian-Mkhargrzeli family, who was a convert to the Georgian Orthodox Church.[1] His vassal, Prince Bubak, and the latter's heirs are buried in the gavit of the church.[2]

Architecture

The monastery of Tejharuyk is enclosed by a low stone wall that currently surrounds only sections of the complex. The basilica is the only relatively intact structure on the grounds and consists of a main hall,

plinth (middle), and an individual (separated from the church and cross in a separate "scene") wearing a long tunic, with both arms bent and pointed in the upward direction (right). The large apse has four small niches at the lower level, and a larger niche/chamber to the right. There is another niche to the left of the altar, and to the left in the main hall of the church is a small attached chapel/prayer room. A second entry leads into the basilica from the exterior through the portico. There is some unique decorative relief around the frame of the portal. The exterior of the portico has a high-relief carving of a bird perched on its surrounding frame. The same imagery is visible again above the window to the apse, where there are two birds perched side-by-side on the rectangular frame that surrounds them. Georgian inscriptions in large script can be seen surrounding the walls of the basilica, especially below the decorative molding under the eaves
of the roof.

There are still visible depressions that can be found surrounding the church where other monastic buildings had once stood. A few meters from the church are the lower walls of a small chapel, consisting of a single room with an apse. Excavations are currently underway (as of October 2014), where current soil levels have been removed to reveal the original foundations of the church. Sadly, much of the building's interior and exterior has been defaced by graffiti in recent years.

Gallery

  • Tejharuyk Monastery, side view
    Tejharuyk Monastery, side view
  • Decorative windows to the basilica.
    Decorative windows to the basilica.
  • High-relief decoration of two birds perched on their surrounding frame (above window to apse).
    High-relief decoration of two birds perched on their surrounding frame (above window to apse).
  • Church interior (view towards apse)
    Church interior (view towards apse)
  • Decorative capital (right of the apse, church interior)
    Decorative capital (right of the apse, church interior)
  • Decorative capital (right of the apse, middle, church interior)
    Decorative capital (right of the apse, middle, church interior)
  • High-relief decoration of a bird perched on the surrounding frame (above the portico).
    High-relief decoration of a bird perched on the surrounding frame (above the portico).
  • Portico window (left side, exterior)
    Portico window (left side, exterior)
  • High-relief decoration surrounding the portal within the portico.
    High-relief decoration surrounding the portal within the portico.
  • View of the gavit from the exterior.
    View of the gavit from the exterior.
  • Basilica window resting above the gavit.
    Basilica window resting above the gavit.
  • Interior portal within the gavit, leading into the main church.
    Interior portal within the gavit, leading into the main church.
  • Lower walls of nearby chapel.
    Lower walls of nearby chapel.

References

External links