the main church of the Sanahin Monastery, Church of of the Holy Redeemer
The second UNESCO World Heritage list monastery in the Debed Gorge in Armenia, after Haghpat (which is nearby), is the Sanahin Monastery, apparently meaning ‘older than the other’ – a reference to the Haghpat Monastery. Like Haghpat, Sanahin was also initiated by Queen Koshrovanush, this one probably in 966, on a site which already contained two smaller 10th C churches.
The gavit contains a number of impressive columns, some of which have been decorated with animal heads. The floor of the gavit is covered with tombs.
The third monastery, Akhtala, beautifully decorated with frescoes, is further north along the gorge.
vaulted gavit
candles
.
another view of the gavit
the floor of the gavit, covered with tomb stones
even very small stones, possibly children’s graves?
column of the gavit, decorated
animal head as part of that decoration
here, too, a church miniature has been included
the older chapel of Saint Gregory the Illuminator, also on Sanahin complex
the entrance to the gavit, from the inside
