Sanahin Monastic Complex

Region

Lori

Distance from Yerevan

165.4 km

Type

Monastery/Church

The Sanahin Monastic Complex was founded in 966 with the support of King Ashot III the Merciful. This ancient site became not only the dynastic mausoleum and administrative center of the Kyurikians, but also the spiritual seat of the kingdom. The name Sanahin is believed to derive from the phrase “this is older than that”, referring to the fact that it was built after the Haghpat Monastery. The complex consists of sacred and civil structures built in different periods. It includes churches, narthex halls, scriptoria (libraries), and mausoleums. The oldest structure, the Holy Mother of God Church, established Sanahin’s position as a spiritual center. Next to it developed seminaries and scriptoria, which later evolved into a university and an academy. The dominant structure of the complex is the Church of the Holy Redeemer with its cross-shaped layout and massive dome. Adjacent to it is St. Gregory Church—circular from the outside and cruciform with four apses on the inside. It is built on a strong stone foundation, and its library is attached to its northern side. The Sanahin library, the largest and oldest among medieval Armenian scriptoria, served not only as a repository for books and manuscripts but also as a treasury for sacred relics and remains. The academy is situated between the Holy Mother of God and Holy Redeemer churches and is attributed to Grigor Magistros Pahlavuni. Symbolically, its floor is covered with tombstones, and three khachkars (cross-stones) stand in the eastern part of the hall. Outside the main complex are preserved the mausoleums of the Argutyan-Yerkaynabazuk and Zakarian families, as well as the churches of St. Jacob, St. Resurrection, St. Karapet, and the Chapel of St. Sarkis. The Zakarian mausoleum is located in the southeastern cemetery, and St. Resurrection Church is unique for its double apses on the eastern side.