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Sevanavank
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Sevanavank (Armenian:

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40.563917N 45.010808E

Sevanavank

Sevan Monastery) is a
monastic complex located on a

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peninsula at the northwestern

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shore of Lake Sevan in the

Gegharkunik Province of

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Armenia, not far from the town

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of Sevan. Initially the

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monastery was built at the

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southern shore of a small

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island. After the artificial

The churches of Surb Arakelots (left) and Surb

Astvatsatsin.

draining of Lake Sevan, which

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started in the era of Joseph

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Stalin, the water level fell about

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20 metres, and the island

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transformed into a peninsula.

At the southern shore of this

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newly created peninsula, a

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guesthouse of the Armenian

Writers' Union was built. The

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eastern shore is occupied by

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the Armenian president's

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summer residence, while the

monastery's still active

Languages

seminary moved to newly

Deutsch

constructed buildings at the

Espaol

northern shore of the

Esperanto

peninsula.

Franais

Due to easier accessibility

(once it became a peninsula),

Norsk nynorsk

good highway and railway

Polski

connections with the Armenian

capital Yerevan, a well-

Slovenina

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developed tourist industry in

the nearby town of Sevan, and

Shown within Armenia

Basic information
Location

Sevan Peninsula, Lake Sevan,

Armenia

Geographic

40.563917N 45.010808E

coordinates
Affiliation

Armenian Apostolic Church

Status

Active
Architectural description

Architectural style Armenian

Completed

9th century

its picturesque location (although less picturesque than it was before the lake
level drop), Sevanavank is one of the most visited tourism sights in Armenia.

Contents [hide]
1 History
2 Architecture
3 Gallery
4 References
4.1 Bibliography
5 External links

History

[edit]

According to an inscription in one of the churches, the monastery of

Sevanavank was founded in 874 by Princess Mariam, the daughter of Ashot I
(who became a king a decade later). At the time, Armenia was still struggling to
free itself from Arab rule.
The monastery was strict as it was mainly intended for those monks from
Etchmiadzin who had sinned. Jean-Marie Chopin, a French explorer of the
Caucasus, visited there in 1830 and wrote of a regimen restraining from meat,
wine, youth or women. Another explorer visited the monastery in 1850 and
wrote of how manuscripts were still being copied manually.

Architecture

[edit]

The two churches, Surb Arakelots meaning the "Holy Apostles" and Surb
Astvatsatsin meaning the "Holy Mother of God", are both cruciform plan
structures with octagonal tambours. Both are quite similar in appearance.
Adjacent are the ruins of a gavit whose roof was originally supported by six
wooden columns. Some of the remains of the gavit and its columns can be seen
in the Yerevan Museum of History.
Reconstruction and restoration efforts took place from 1956 to 1957.

Gallery

[edit]

The island and the

Sevanavank and

Sevanavank monastery

monastery of Sevan

peninsula along Lake

viewed from the lake.

during the 19th century

Sevan.

(Paris, 1869, T. Deyrolle)

View of peninsula

Surb Arakelots church

Sevanavank (S.
Arakelots)

Door of Arakelots church

Surp Astvatsatsin church Altar of S. Astvatsatsin.

Khachkars along the

ruins of the gavit.

References

[edit]

Bibliography [edit]
Kiesling, Brady (2005), Rediscovering Armenia: Guide, Yerevan, Armenia:
Matit Graphic Design Studio

External links

[edit]

ArmeniaInfo entry
Armenian Architectural Studies: Sevanavank
Armeniapedia.org: Sevanavank
Sevan Pictures at Armenia Photos.info
Armenica.org: Sevanavank
Wikimedia Commons has
media related to Sevanavank.

V T E

Historical Armenian monasteries and

churches

[show]

Categories: Christian monasteries in Armenia

Visitor attractions in Gegharkunik Province

874 establishments

Christian monasteries established in the 9th century

Oriental Orthodox congregations established in the 9th century
Buildings and structures in Gegharkunik Province

This page was last modified on 20 December 2014, at 20:49.

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