BJNI VILLAGE

Bjni is one of the oldest settlements in Armenia. Bjni village, along with its surroundings, belonged to the dynasty of Armenian princes Pahlavuni in the 11th century. The village was appointed the residence of the Catholicos under the reign of King Hovhannes-Smbat. Elections of the Catholicos in 1066 were held in Bjni. Bjni was passed to the estates of the Armenian princes Zakaryan at the beginning of the 13th century. The village was attacked by Tamerlane in 1387-1388. The French traveler Chardin visited Bjni in 1673.

The treasure of medieval architecture, St. Astvatsatsin (the Holy Virgin) church, built by Grigor Magistros in 1031, is located in the center of Bjni village. The cross-domed church of St. Sarkis (VII century) was built in the eastern part of Bjni, on the top of the hill. There are carved inscriptions and two petroglyphs of animals depicted on the walls of the church. 3 The impregnable Bjni fortress is one of the medieval sites in Armenia, located on the eastern side of the village Bյni, on the eastern bank of the Hrazdan River. The exact date of foundation is unknown. An ancient fortress, surrounded by a rocky territory, was rebuilt by Pahlavuni noble family in the 10th century. Vasak Pahlavuni managed to turn the structure into a powerful fortress of medieval Armenia and to establish a military stronghold, protecting the capital city Ani from the north (during the reign of the Bagratid dynasty in Armenia). The fortress divides the village into two parts (Great Bjni and Small Bjni).