OREANDA-NEWS. On August 10, 2009 VivaCell-MTS and the Armenian Monuments Awareness Project (AMAP) announced the installation of multilanguage information panels near Sevanavank, which marks the seventh site for which AMAP has produced information panels this year and a total of 12 since the project was launched last year, reported the press-centre of VivaCell-MTS.

This project is an important component of VivaCell-MTS’ efforts to help celebrate and raise awareness of Armenian historic and natural monuments, to enhance the visitor experience at the sites while promoting Armenia as a tourism destination.

Set in one of the most beautiful sits in Armenia, the Monastery of Sevan has a rich and varied history from its origins in the 4th century to present day.

Sevanavank (also known as “Mariamashen” or “built by Mariam”) sits on the peninsula east of Sevan City, at one time an island which archeological digs have shown to have been inhabited during the Neolithic and Bronze Ages. Sevan was one of the first places of conversion following Grigor Lusavorich’s conversion of King T’rdat in 301. History points to Lusavorich’s entry into the Sevan region, establishing two churches at the site; St. Harutiun and St. Karapet (John the Baptist).

According to an inscription on the south wall of St. Arakelots (Holy Apostle) Church at the site, the 9th century expansion is attributed to Princess Mariam, the daughter of the founder of the Bagratuni dynasty, Ashot I Bagratuni. It was the first post-Arab example of an important religious/architectural regional school, under the spiritual guidance of the future Catholicos Mashtots.

Medieval inhabitants include the 10th century historian and Catholicos Hovhannes Draskhanakertsi, and Ashot II (Ashot Yerkat or Ashot of Iron) who led his armies against foreign rulers. The king and his regiment camped on the island in 924/925, winning a decisive victory against the enemy, ensuring the re-establishment of Armenian independence and securing Bagratuni rule. Afterwards, Sevanavank became an important pilgrimage site.

Pillaged during Mongol, Timurid and Turkic invasions in the 14th-16th centuries, the monastery’s recovery began after the 1441 re-establishment of the Holy See at Echmiadzin with the creation of an academy in 1451, based on the curriculum at Tatev.

Abandoned during the Soviet period (St. Astvatsatsin was demolished in 1931 and its stone used to build a holiday house in Sevan) and badly damaged in the 1936 earthquake, the monastery was not revived until the 1990s and is undergoing reconstruction. It remains one of Armenia’s most popular destinations.

The complex consists of Sts. Arakelots and Karapet, a ruined gavit (narthex) and a partially reconstructed area for monk cells. Above the lower complex are the foundations for the 4th century St. Harutiun church. They are all situated on the southwest side of the hill. Other foundations show the outer and inner walls for the complex and the outline of residential and office quarters for the monastery staff.
 
Up to the 9th century the monastery largely consisted of two churches, the small St. Karapet and the large triple nave St. Harutiun (Church of the Resurrection), believed to have been established by Grigor Lusavorich on top of a Pagan temple in 305. Later, in the 9th century, Bagratuni largess went into renovating and building new churches and monasteries, and Sevanavank was no exception.

Historians write that Princess Mariam, widowed while still young and resolved to dedicate her life to piety and decided to commission 30 churches in memory of her lost husband, Prince Vasak Gabur of the Siunik Family. Seeking guidance, Mariam visited Sevanavank and met with the monastery’s father superiors and future Catholicos Mashtots Yeghvardetsi (Mashtots of Yeghvard).

She agreed to pay to reconstruct and enlarge the monastery on the (then) island, adding St. Arakelots and St. Astvatsatsin churches. Other structures included monk cells, auxiliary buildings and a gavit, its massive roof supported by four wooden columns. Two columns with elaborately carved capitals are on display at the State History Museum in Yerevan.

Sevan peninsula - once an island - now connects to the Tsamakaberd promontory via a low stretch of land. Small as it is, the peninsula is startling in its contrasts (the north and south slopes have completely different climate zones and flora).

AMAP receives major sponsorship from VivaCell-MTS and is also supported by the Honorary Consul of Italy and by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through its Competitive Armenia Private Sector (CAPS) program.
The protection of cultural values and culture itself is everyone’s duty – this is the main principle of the organizers.