Bridge :: ARTSAKH HISTORICAL MONUMENTS

Bridge 12 — 13 cc․

NKR / Kashatagh / Katos

Location

One of the most important monuments in the vicinity of Katos is a large medieval bridge over the Hochants River, which lies in ruins, 800 m west of Katos Monastery.

Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 154.

It is situated over the river Hochants, 2 kilometres north-west of Katos Village, Kashatagh District, Republic of Artsakh (RMK). Geographical coordinates: N 39°46°26.63,°° E 46°19°59.21.°°

Karapetian, Samvel. The Bridges of Artsakh, Yerevan, 2009, p. 24.

Architectural Description

It is built of entirely finely-dressed stone and mortar. At present only its left-bank pier is in a comparatively better state of preservation.

Karapetian, Samvel. The Bridges of Artsakh, Yerevan, 2009, p. 24.

Historical Introduction
10 — 11 cc․

This single-span bridge may be traced back to the period between the 9th and 11th centuries.

Karapetian, Samvel. The Bridges of Artsakh, Yerevan, 2009, p. 24.

Architectural Description
12 — 13 cc․

The left bank pylon, which is rather well preserved, was 7.50 cm wide, and the span was over 12 m long. The entire bridge was built of finely processed bluish-violet basalt and mortar. It seems, this bridge should be the contemporary of the Katos monastery, though the size of the stones used and processing methods are more characteristic of the XII-XIII cent.

Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 154.

Type Photo
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Black-and-white negative

Type Photo
Author Samvel Karapetyan

Ruins of the XII-XIII cent. bridge over Hochas, near Katosavank

Type Photo
Author Samvel Karapetian
Source Black-and-white negative