Church of S. Astvatsatsin and St. Arakelots, Sevanavank Monastery - Sevan, Shirak Armenia
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MAGEpirate
N 40° 33.841 E 045° 00.627
38T E 500884 N 4490360
Two ancient churches and an active Armenian monastery dating back to the late 800's AD, located on a peninsula on Lake Sevan in the Shirak region
Waymark Code: WM2PDT
Location: Armenia
Date Posted: 12/01/2007
Views: 86
Sevanavank is a very ancient monastery of the Armenian Apostolic Church. This site has been important for centuries both as an educational training center and as a pilgrimage destination. Today, the complex consists of two churches, one dedicated to the Apostles, and one dedicated to St. Mary, as well as an active seminary for the training of priests. The churches are located on a high hill overlooking what was once an island setting along the western shores of Lake Sevan, although it is now a peninsula due to declining water levels. The shoreline and lowland areas below the monastery have become a favorite vacation spot for Armenians and tourists alike, as there are beautiful beaches on the pure, deep, blue-green waters of Sevan, and restaurants nearby serving the local specialty, Ishkan of the Prince of Fish, the Lake Sevan trout. Lake Sevan is the largest alpine lake on earth.
The churches on the hillside above were built in Christian times, but the site has been a holy site since 20,000 years ago. Pictographs dating back to those earlier times include some of the earliest know records of constellations ever recorded, indicating that the people of Ancient Armenia were looking to the heavens from this location many, many long centuries before the Armenian people were recognized as a nation. The church buildings were made of tufa, a basaltic stone common in this volcanic region. Numerous Khachkars, ancient ornately carved stone crosses carved in tufa stones, can be seen all around the grounds. Obisidian and the beautiful blue-green Sevan turquoise stones can also be found here.
Type of Orthodox Church: Oriental
Type of Building: Church
Status of Building: Actively in use for worship
Date of building construction: 01/01/0874
Archdiocese: Holy Echmiadzin
Address:
Sevanavank Monastery
Vaskenian Theological Seminary
Sevan, , Shirak Armenia
38610
Relevant Website: [Web Link]
Date of organization: Not listed
Associated Icons, Reliefs, art, etc.: Not listed
Diocese: Not listed
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