Tatev Monastery (Syunik province - Armenia)
N 39° 22.779 E 046° 15.001
38S E 607662 N 4359653
This Armenian post stamp issued in 2012 depicts the Tatev Monastery, located near town Goris in South-Armenian province Syunik, which is one of the masterpieces of Armenian medieval architecture and one of country' spiritual centres...
Waymark Code: WMJCTM
Location: Armenia
Date Posted: 10/31/2013
Views: 3
This Armenian post stamp issued in 2012 depicts the Tatev Monastery, located near town Goris in South-Armenian province Syunik, which is one of the masterpieces of Armenian medieval architecture and one of spiritual centres of the oldest Christian country. On the stamp is also depicted Wings of Tatev aerial tramway, but it is only "Photoshop collage". Wings of Tatev upper end station is located at the northern part of cliff with monastery and the depicted situation is unreal.
The monastery was built during the 9th through 13th centuries and hidden from strangers’ eyes. Tatev was the religious, spiritual, political, and economic center of the Syunik duchy and also was the wealthiest medieval monastery in Armenia.
The entrance into monastery complex leads through the St. Astvatsatsin Church on the northeast angle of the monastery fortification. In the centre of a courtyard is Cathedral of Ss. Poghos and Petros, the major artistic and conceptual structure of the monastery, the gavit with a bell-tower on top, which served as a porch in the southern elevation of the cathedral. The monk cells and service spaces are arranged along the perimeter of the fortification. Near the cathedral is a vaulted gallery and also refectory with a kitchen, storerooms and the chambers of Father Superior. There is a swinging pillar in front of the living quarters. The small St. Gregory Church is annexed to the cathedral in the southern elevation.