Portal of Surb Astvatsatsin / Mother of God Church - Noravank Monastery (Vayots Dzor province - Armenia) - Doorways of the World on Waymarking.com

Higly decorated stone-carved western portal and wooden door of Surb Astvatsatsin (Mother of God Church), part of Noravank monastic complex in Vayots Dzor province of Armenia, are key artistic elements of this stunning medieval church.

The Surb Astvatsatsin, the grandest church of Noravank, is also called Burtelashen (“Burtel-built”) in honor of its financer Prince Burtel Orbelian. The church, completed in 1339, is masterpiece and also the last work of the talented Armenian sculptor and miniaturist Momik, who designed.

The western portal is decorated with special splendor. An important role in its decoration is played by cantilever stairs leading to the first storey across the ground-storey facade, with profiled butts of the steps. The doors are framed in broad rectangular platbands, with ledges in the upper part, with columns, fillets and strips of various, mostly geometrical, fine and intricate patterns. Between the outer plathand and the arched framing of the openings there are representations of doves and sirens with women's crowned heads. Such heraldic reliefs were widely used in 14th-century Armenian art and in earlier times in architecture, miniatures and works of applied art, on various vessels and bowls. The door tyrnpanums are decorated with high reliefs showing, in the ground storey, Virgin Mary with Infant Jesus and Archangels Gabriel and Michael at her sides and, in the upper storey, a half-length representation of Christ and figures of the Apostles Peter and Paul. As distinct from the reliefs of Noravank's vestry, these ones are carved on a plain surface, which gives them greater independence. The figures are distinguished by plasticity of form, softness of modeling and accentuation of certain details of clothing.