Surb Amenaprkich Cathedral Kazanchetsots ( armenian Սուրբ Ամենափրկիչ Ղազանչեցոց ) (Cathedral of St. Christ the Savior) is an Armenian cathedral in the city of Shushi in Nagorno-Karabakh . The architectural complex consists of a church (1868-1887) and a bell tower (1858).
| Cathedral | |
| Cathedral of St. Christ the Savior | |
|---|---|
| arm Սուրբ Ամենափրկիչ Ղազանչեցոց | |
 | |
| A country | Nagorno-Karabakh Republic [1] / Azerbaijan [1] |
| City | Shushi |
| Denomination |  Armenian Apostolic Church |
| Diocese | Artsakh Diocese |
| Architectural style | Armenian |
| condition | satisfactory |
History
The Kazanchetsots church is mentioned in the book “Journey to Armenia” by Mesrop Takhiadyan (1820). According to Shagen Mkrtchyan, this circumstance, as well as the fact that the bell tower was built before the church, is evidence that the cathedral was built on the site of an architectural church that was less remarkable from the 18th century .
The bell tower was built by Shushin’s Abraham Handamiryan. The building inscription of the bell tower, made on its eastern wall, reads:
 | The bell tower was built in memory of the late Gabriel Hovsepyan-Batiryants, who hails from Kazanchi and the pilgrim Mkrtich Margaryan-Khandamiryants, about his wife Balasan and sons Arupe and Stepan and all Kazan residents. Let us remember God for his glory, and for the salvation of the souls of all living and deceased. In the summer of 1858 |  |
According to the inscription on the end of the altar of the church, its builder was Avetis Yeramishyants, the architect was Simeon Ter-Hakobyants. The dates for the construction of the cathedral are indicated in the building inscription at the top of the southern portal: [2]
| By the grace and mercy of the almighty god, a miraculous holy cathedral was built with funds and donations from parishioners of the church of Amenaprkich Kazanchetsots of the city of Shushi, the construction of which was begun in 1868 during the reign of the almighty autocrat Emperor of All Russia Alexander II and under the patriarchate George IV , completed in 1887 during the crowning of the son of His Majesty the Blessed Emperor Alexander III under Catholicos Markar I. September 20, 1888 " |
After the Shusha massacre of 1920, the cathedral ceased to function. In the Soviet period, the cathedral was used as a barn and, later, a garage. At this time, he was in a dilapidated state, there was no church dome. During the Karabakh war, there was an Azerbaijani warehouse of missiles of the Grad system.
Currently, the cathedral has been completely restored and since 1998 it has been a functioning church.
Description
The cathedral is located in the center of the city, located on the top of a plateau. By architecture, Kazanchetsots resembles the Cathedral of Etchmiadzin . [2]
Church
The church is a hall with dimensions of 34.7 × 23 × 35 m. The front parts are lined with hewn plates from local limestone of a light cream color.
In the center of the structure is a dome resting on four pylons . The hall has windows measuring 1 × 5 m.
It has three identical entrances with beautiful three-arched semicircular porticoes : from the west, south and north. One cruciform window opens over the middle arches of the porticoes. The main entrances end with round monolith inserts covered with reliefs.
The church has many inscriptions in memory of the townspeople who donated for its construction. [2]
Belfry
The bell tower is located a few meters west of the church, is a three-story building. Four sculptures were installed in the upper corners of the first floor, depicting people, "... who are blowing a menacing look into the pipes." However, these statues were destroyed during the Karabakh war, when the city was under the control of Azerbaijanis, and now in their place are recreated copies. One of these sculptures is depicted on the coat of arms of Shushi.
An excellent example of stone carving is the bell tower’s ornamented belt.
On October 16, 2008, a “big wedding” took place in Nagorno-Karabakh : out of 687 couples, 550 were married in the Kazanchetsots Cathedral, and the rest in the Gandzasar Monastery. [3]
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Notes
- ↑ 1 2 According to the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan , the territory controlled by the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic is part of the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The de facto Nagorno-Karabakh Republic is an unrecognized state , most of which is not controlled by Azerbaijan.
- ↑ 1 2 3 Mkrtchyan Sh. M. Historical and Architectural Monuments of Nagorno-Karabakh (translated from Armenian) = Լեռնային Ղարաբաղի պատմա-ճարտարապետական հուշարձանները / Harutyunyan V. A., Urosabyan B. B. Udyabyan B. G. L., Arakelyan N. A. .. - Yerevan: “Hayastan”, 1988. - 360 p. - 25,000 copies. - ISBN 5-540-00402-7 .
- ↑ Collective wedding took place in Nagorno-Karabakh