ARMENIA Sisian History Museum – VAGHATNI MONASTERY (VOROTNAVANK) This ancient, famous sanctuary-pilgrimage site of Syunik

ARMENIA Sisian History Museum – VAGHATNI MONASTERY (VOROTNAVANK) This ancient, famous sanctuary-pilgrimage site of Syunik is located 10 km east of SISIAN city

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VAGHATNI MONASTERY (VOROTNAVANK)

This ancient, famous sanctuary-pilgrimage site of Syunik is located 10 km east of the city of SISIAN, on the left bank of the Vorotan gorge. The monastery consists of three churches. It was founded in the 4th century by S. By GRIGOR LUSAVORCH.

The oldest of the monastery, Lusavorchashen S. GRIGOR LUSAVORICH single-aisled church is located in the western part of the complex and is currently in ruins. According to an early medieval legend, the church healed those bitten by poisonous snakes.

Miracles were happening. The bitten people were taken out of the mountains, from there they were shown the church of the blessed VAGHATNI monastery և or some soil was taken from the monastery, the coagulated poison immediately decomposed և the patient was cured.

In 1000, by the order of SMBAT I, King of Syunik և Baghk, his wife, Queen SHAHANDUKHT, S. On the east side of GRIGOR LUSAVORICH church, St. STEPANOS NAKHAVKA church, է fenced the monastery և founded a congregation.

The son of King SMBAT I, prince SEVADAN in 1006 S. On the south-eastern side of STEPANOS church he built a domed, three-altar S. KARAPET church.

Queen Shahandukht և Prince Sjada are buried in S. Stepanos և S. In the columns of Karapet churches.
In the yard of the monastery there is a 5.68 m high pillar-rod erected in the 11th century, with a cap and a stone cross crowned at the top.

In the 13th and 14th centuries, Vaghatn Monastery was one of the most famous centers of education, writing and art in ARMENIA. In the 14th century, the school was run by HOVHAN VOROTNETS, his student GRIGOR TATEVATS.

Vorotnavank operated until the beginning of the 20th century. It was severely damaged by the 1931 earthquake and repaired in 1980-2016.

∗ Usually, the date of construction of Vaghatni Monastery is mistakenly considered by SHAHANDUKHT to be S. Date of construction of STEPANOS church (1000).

In the photo is VAGHATNI monastery. Photo taken from IG Armenia website, May 14, 2018.

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