Yeghnasar Monastery :: ARTSAKH HISTORICAL MONUMENTS

Yeghnasar Monastery

Azerbaijan / Northern Artsakh / Khanlar / Getashen

Location

The monastic complex of Yeghnasar is situated on the slightly slanting and north-facing slope of a mountain towering on the skirts of a forest about 1.5 kilometres south of Getashen.

Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 381.

Historical Introduction
17 — 18 yy․

It comprises a church, a gate and some monastic rooms, all of them dating back to the period between the 17th and 18th centuries and preserved standing until the deportation of Artsakh Armenians. Several fragments of medieval khachkars and others set in the church walls attest that originally some older sanctuaries used to be located in the site of these buildings. Unfortunately, the available ancient and medieval sources keep silence about the monastery of Yeghnasar; that is why, its history is very scantily recorded. It is known that in the 18th century, it had a monastic community and a scriptorium, despite the unfavourable political situation marking that period.

Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, pp. 381-382.

15 c․

In 1744 a 15th-century manuscript was repaired there, its colophon stating the following with that regard, “Mended with unspeakable difficulty in bitter and harsh times... in the monastery of Yeghnasar, where I lived together with the members of its community...”

Mkhitar Anetsy. A Book of Universal History. Yerevan, 1983, p. 50, in Armenian.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 382.

19 c․

Comparatively greater in number are the archive documents of the 19th century which reveal the name of the only church of the monastery and other details relating to it. The sanctuary functioned until the early 19th century.

Lalayan, Yer. Gandzak District. In: “Azgagrakan Handes,” vol. 5, Tiflis, 1899, No. 1, p. 138.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 383.

Estates
1841 y․

An archive document of 1841 states the following about the estates of Yeghnasar, “The finely-built monastery of Yeghnasar dedicated to Sourb Astvatzatzin now stands derelict. It has some land of a hundred and ten oravars costing two hundreds rubles. It also used to possess an orchard that has turned barren.”

National Archives of Armenia, fund 53, list 1 file 3798, pp. 64-65.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 382.

1853 y․

Another archive document of 1853 reads, “Once this monastery ranked among the richest and most splendid sanctuaries of the region, boasting a great number of monks whose graves lie nearby. Its ramparts and other buildings are either semi-ruined or in a state of complete dilapidation, but the church has been thoroughly preserved. As attested by the inhabitants of the neighbourhood who put their signatures to this document, the monastery possessed some pastures, woods and arable lands extending within the following boundaries: the river of Gharabulagh Village in the east; Spitak Jur in the west; the site of Ghonja in the south, and a stone called Oshep in the north...”

National Archives of Armenia, fund 53, list 1, file 2742, p. 19.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 383.

1886 y․

In 1886 the sanctuary possessed a wood and some arable lands.

National Archives of Armenia, fund 56, list 18, file 138, pp. 100-101.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 383.

Description
20 c․

In the early 20th century, it was in a state of utter neglect: “This monastery, standing derelict since the beginning of this century, has been reduced to a pigsty.”

Lalayan, Yer. Gandzak District. In: “Azgagrakan Handes,” vol. 5, Tiflis, 1899, No. 1, p. 138.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 383.

Estates
1910 y․

A register of Gandzak’s monastic estates drawn up in 1910 reads, “At present this miserable monastery, that is sometimes visited by pilgrims, does not have a single income-yielding domain. The authorities launched legal proceedings against it and appropriated its forest covering about 800 dessiatinas. Now it has three old, dilapidated rooms.”

National Archives of Armenia, fund 56, list 6, file 775, p. 25.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 383.

Description
19 c․

Comparing the state of Yeghnasar Monastery between the late 19th century and 1988, we come to the conclusion that it underwent almost no changes. In certain parts, however, it suffered destruction, evidently, caused by those searching for treasure there.

Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 383.

Type Photo
View General
Direction From the south-west
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Black-and-white negative
Date 1980 y․

Type Photo
View Exterior
Direction From the south-east
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Black-and-white negative
Date 1980 y․

Type Photo
View General
Direction From the north-east
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Black-and-white negative
Date 1989 y․

Type Photo
View Exterior
Direction From the south-east
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Colour Negative
Date 1989 y․

Type Photo
View Partial view
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Black-and-white negative
Date 1980 y․

A partial view of the monastic dwellings

Type Photo
View Partial view
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Black-and-white negative
Date 1989 y․

Part of the cornice of the southern facade of the church of Yeghnasar Monastery