Armenian monastery of Surb Khach: description, history and interesting facts

Monuments of the Armenian temple architecture, to which the monastery Surb Khach (Old Crimea) belongs , is distinguished by a special composition and unique style. Construction of ancient periods is not so much, the more valuable and interesting it is to visit this monastery. It dates back to the 14th century, and it reflects the striking features of traditional Armenian architecture.

History of construction

In the 12-13th century, a powerful ancient state of Armenia is declining due to constant attacks by foreigners, and this leads to a large migration of the population and the spread of Armenian culture to other territories. A large group of Armenians migrated to the Crimea, where at that time the Republic of Genoa ruled, which one of its missions considered the spread of Catholicism. Armenian Christian settlers, as a sign of quiet resistance, went deep into the Crimea, and as a result, there is a significant growth of new Orthodox monasteries. The monastery Surb Khach in the Crimea was founded in 1358. He served as a refuge and spiritual center for Armenians who left their homeland. The monastery is the largest monument of Armenian culture in the Crimea. In the 15th century, when the Turkish invaders ravaged the lands of the peninsula, the monastery survived, because even enemies did not rise up to destroy such a place of power. In the 17-18 centuries the monastery is rebuilt several times and grows. Gradually, Surb Khach becomes a major center of the pilgrimage of the Black Sea coast. In 1778 there was a large migration of Armenians from the Crimean lands to the Lower Don at the behest of Empress Catherine II. And the brotherhood of the monastery collects its belongings and also moves with its people to the Don, where the monastery with the same name opens. At the very end of the 18th century the Crimean monastery resumed its work, and although it was no longer a diocese, it retained its spiritual and practical significance for the Armenians who remained in the Crimea. Before the revolution, Surb Khach owned 4,000 acres of land. But after the coup in 1925, the monastery, as a religious institution, was liquidated. During the Soviet era, various institutions were located here: from a pioneer camp to a hospital for tuberculosis patients. During the Second World War, the fascists, who were destroying everything on their way, did not dare to destroy such a namolennoe place. In the late 80's Surb Khach began to restore, in 1994, there are renewed worship services. Today the monastery is open for visits and prayers, here services continue, but the monastic brotherhood does not live here anymore.

Architectural complex

The Armenian monastery of Surb Khach today consists of several buildings: a church, a refectory, a house for the living of the brethren, and a garden with fountains. The complex of the monastery is in a very beautiful place - the Crimean forest on the slope of the Grytsya Mountain. The ancient walls have amazing energy and power. It is very quiet here, the buildings are not shaken with beauty, but with majesty and spiritual power. On the walls of the complex you can see a lot of carvings, murals, elegant ornaments. Harmoniousness and ease of brutal stone walls give carved staircases and air passages. Today the abode is in desolation, and this only adds to the buildings of charm. The walls, overgrown with moss, the supports, twined by wild grapes, mountain springs - all this sets up a pacified mood. The complex makes an indelible impression with its harmony and spirit of antiquity.

Church of the Holy Sign

The Crimean monastery of Surb Khach was built around Surb-Nshan, the church of St. Signs. Local legend says that one day people saw a holy cross in the sky above the slope of the mountain, he pointed to the place where the cleanest spring had hammered. In honor of such a sign, the first church was built from a tree, later a stone church appeared on its place. The verse inscription, carved on a stone around the dome "drum", says that the temple was built in 1358. The architecture of the cathedral is a continuation of the medieval Armenian traditions, it is recognizable by the pyramidal stone tent, mounted on a high faceted "drum". The temple is built of large gray stones, the roof is covered with red tiles. The laconic and powerful building is an organic part of the stone fence, which once performed defensive functions. On the walls of the cathedral preserved medieval paintings. They can see the image of the Holy Virgin Mary with the baby Jesus in her arms, with the saints around. Also on one of the fragments was the coat of arms of the Armenian church - a lamb with a cross.

To the main building adjoins a rectangular porch (gavit), in which led before two inputs. The walls of the vestibule are decorated with carvings in the form of crosses. The theme of this Christian symbol can be traced throughout. After all, the monastery itself and the mountain on which it stands are named after the Holy Cross. Above the vestibule a bell tower rises, into which a stone staircase, decorated with carvings, leads from the gavit. The porch and bell-tower date from the beginning of the 15th century.

Refectory

On the other side of the monastery yard, opposite the church of St. Signs, there is a monastery refectory. Once the monastery of Surb Khach was a haven for hundreds of people, and so he needed a large room for feeding the brethren and pilgrims. Now the refectory is a two-story building with a large basement room. But the second floor was built up only in the 19th century, it housed rooms for pilgrims and pilgrims. The space of the refectory consists of two rooms. The northern hall is equipped with a large fireplace with an arch, here is also a stove. In the south there is a staircase to the basement, and also an entrance to the gatehouse. Near the refectory you can see the fountain, the northern wall of the building is connected with the stone fence of the monastery.

Residential buildings

In the olden times the monastery of Surb Khach was a very visited place, and special rooms were needed to accommodate pilgrims and brothers. The cells of the monks adjoin the southern wall of the temple. The building was built in the late 17th century and consists of two floors. At the first there were 8 rooms for different purposes. The cells of the second floor had access to a common open balcony. The interior of the brotherly building is very ascetic, the dynamics of the room create a series of arched overlapping. From the south to the brotherly building adjoins a one-story building of the monastery hotel. It was destroyed in the middle of the 20th century, and in the 80s it was restored according to the surviving drawings.

Monastic garden

At the time of its dawn the monastery of Surb Khach was famous for its gardens with numerous fountains. Today, from its former splendor, there is not much left. Here you can see the remains of ancient paths, almost imperceptible layout of plantations and two fountains made of stone. Fountains - rectangular structures with a stone facade, decorated with carvings. To ensure the construction of water in the monastery, a ceramic water pipe operated, through which water was supplied from sources. From the refectory to the fountains once led a 5-march staircase, today they have preserved fragments of the stairs and four terraces of stone.

Interesting Facts

Ancient monastery Surb Khach in the Old Crimea is a unique and legendary place. Here was an ancient stone cross - khachkar (stone-cross). He is the main relic of the monastery, but at the time of resettlement the brethren took this difficult sacred object with them to a new monastery on the Don. Therefore in the Crimea today you can see only its numerous images.

From the monastery it is possible to get to the place with the speaking name Lesnaya Glush, where there are the ruins of another ancient monastery - the Surb Stefanos of the 14th century.

Near the monastery of Surb Khach, there is a mountain spring, which, according to legend, has a miraculous power. The water in the spring is crystal clear, and you can calmly drink it.

How to get there

How to find the monastery of Surb Khach? The address of the convent is: Old Crimea, Kirovsky district. You need to go from the town of Old Crimea on a dirt road in the south-west direction. Despite the fact that the monastery of Surb Khach, whose contacts can not be found, is a monument of history and architecture, a museum, there is no telephone and internet. Therefore, it remains to hope for navigators and kind people who always point the way.