The Harichavank monastic complex

Region

Shirak

Distance from Yerevan

97.1 km

Type

Monastery/Church

The Harichavank monastic complex, dating from the 7th to 13th centuries, is located in the village of Harich. It includes the Churches of St. Gregory and the Holy Mother of God, a narthex, vestries, a bell tower, a manuscript school/library (partially ruined), and two chapels. The first church, St. Gregory, is a centrally domed cruciform structure. Its apses are pentagonal from the outside and semi-circular inside. The massive 16-sided dome gives the church a majestic appearance. The two vestries were added in the 10th and 13th centuries. No historical inscription survives to indicate the exact construction date of this church. The bell tower was added in 1886, adjacent to St. Gregory Church. Harichavank flourished in the 13th century, when in 1201, the Zakarian brothers Zakare and Ivane purchased Harich from the Pahlavunis and turned it into a major cultural center. Under their patronage, the second church, the Holy Mother of God, was built and the monastery was fortified. The Holy Mother of God Church is a domed hall with two-story vestries at each corner. Its interior decoration is rather modest.