Avetaranots

From Janapar

Avetaranots (previously known as Chanaghchi) (Ավետարանոց) is a village located in Askeran Region. From the north-western end of the village starts Kis - the second most remarkable mountain-ridge of Karabakh, which is why Avetaranots is full of cold springs.

Crowned with legends, encircled with gardens and woods, Avetaranots is a village which according to ancient customs, existed 1,500 years ago. Large and small monuments testify to that fact. Avetaranots was the fort-town and seat of Varanda's princedom. In the medieval period, especially during the kingdom's supremacy, it had been fastened with strong ramparts. The remainders of those ramparts, as well as the half-destroyed walls of princely palaces and other ruins still stand.

The present standing church of Avetaranots- Chanaghchi village is called Holy Virgin. It is built on four pillars with a small monument. On the squared beam of the door is written "Ãí ÂÖ (1651). This church built by Melik Baghu is a three-nave basilica, the exterior sizes of which are 27,35 x 15m 30m. It has a large and two small vestries, two melting rooms, above which there are sacred rooms, where are kept the precious things of the church.

In the south-eastern part of the village a large territory occupies the old grave-house, where there are numerous noteworthy ornamented grave-stones.

Contents 1 Major Sites 1.1 Kusanats Monastery 1.2 Gharadam 1.3 Sghnakh 1.4 Other nearby sites 2 History 3 Homestays 3.1 Mardik 4 Camping 5 Trails

Major Sites

All the text in the Major Site section needs editing for poor English!

Kusanats Monastery

Among all the monuments in here a unique interest presents Kusanats monastery. IT is situated in the south-western side of the village, on a slope. From the western side of this monument stretches quite a thick rampart. From the ramparts encricling the old village remain separate parts and several half-destroyed towers. From the height of Kusants monastery Kirs is seen in the far fog, dressed in green. Under the ramparts of the monastery peacefully flows mountain Avetaranots river, encircled with fruit gardens and woods.

In the monastery church, the inscription on the squaread beam of the vault "The church Ãí. èκ (was built)", evidences that it was built in 1616. In his work "Travelling" Sargis episcop Jalalyants wrote that he had seen a beautiful memorial,according to which the church was built by Gayaneh and Ripsimeh sisters with the help of Ter Arakyal.

Kusanats monastery church is built from local trimmed stone. The scheme is cruciform, it's 11m long, 9m wide and 7m high. In the hall stand two very simple pillars, on which lean the bow-shaped vaults carrying the vaulted cover. In the western side open a small door and two windows. Two small windows are in the southern side, one is in the eastern part.

The vestry of Kusanats monastery church is a rectangle vaulted building, 6m long and 9m wide. It had served as the family mausoleum of Melik- Shahnazaryants. Here are situated the graves of Melik-Vardapet, Melik Mirzay, Melik Huseyni, Melik Hovsep and their wives. In the secular battle against the foreign invaders, by their bravity and patriotism stood out Varanda's Malik Huseyn and his daughter Gayaneh.

The memory of Gayane's and her mother Anna's brave deeds preserve only in national legends. About Melik Huseyn speaks his grave -stone inscription, which is situated near the old resting place of the village;

"This is the tombstone of Melik Shahnazar (C) -III

Who is the son of Melik Huseyn

The prince of Artsakh region,

The owner of Varanda,

He was father Melik Jyumshit

During the Russian military leader

An honest one to Armenian Nation,

To the brave and audacious Armenian leader

Please take what you're worth

From my mouth Father Forgiving

èØÊ (1792).

Just like Ruzan, who sacrificed herself to save her native area from Tatar- Mongholian forays, Gayaneh battled against Turkish invaders. Ruzan's picture encouraged Muratsan to write his "Ruzan" historiacal drama. Leo wrote "Prince's daughter" work about hero Gayaneh. In the southern side of the village is situated Melik Baghu's palace, which had consisted of several "Gharadams" built from stone. These settlements are partly standing and can give important material about the settlements built in Gharabagh (in 17-18cc), especially to the investigators of Gharadam's architecture.

Gharadam

In the first quarter of 19c military leader V. Madatov (by the way he is a Gharabaghian, from Madatkend) on one of the mentioned gharadam's built a palace. But not even the remainders of this constructions have preserved.

In the western side of the village is the first palace of Melik Huseyn. It doesn't exist now, it was destroyed in the end of last century. In teh northern side, adjacent to the rampart, is the second palace of Melik Shahnazar or the summer-cottage, which consists of several gharadams and vaulted rooms. Over the main door was the following inscription, "This palace is to Melik Shahnazar's son Seyinbek, who had this building built in èØȺ ".

Typical architectural constructions of Gharadam or Mets Tun are also the palaces of princes built by national masters, and differ from hte houses of working people by their position, sizes and number of rooms.

While building princely gharadams were used wholly or partly used stony covers, which having the shape of woody covers, performed the same role. About the princely mode of life and dwellings Leo tells certain information; he writes "The great landowners, eastern vassals and princes accumulated great wealth and lived in luxury, of course following the Persian taste and high-class mode of life, but at the same time remained perfect national men, living among people and communicating with them in all details of every-day-life. They had a very large economy and numerous trees".

Sghnakh

Avetaranats princely seat's protective main spot was Sghnakh strategic construction. From the documents discovered in the archives of Leningrad and Tbilisi is seen that in the beginning of 18c Avan-Yuzbashi rebuilt and enlarged Sghnakh called arsenal. That before that here was kept battling army, forces pretecting the local autonomous foundations, was fixed (once created) protective system, only the traces of which still remain.

By the position of ramparts, citadels and gharadams-like numerous constructions stretching along the slopes of the hill, by the brim of the canyon is seen that Sghnakh was separated from the outside world by a strong "fence".

The stony storage-room of the ruined, destroyed constructions later was used by the villagers.

In 1968 we have seen several gharadams in Sghnakh. Though their vaulted cover was destroyed, but the lime-morat strong walls have preserved. Gharadams are large halls with square scheme, which have hearths and bays in the walls, requred for dwelling buildings of Gharabagh.

Other nearby sites

Besides the described ones, in the surroundings of Avetaranots are also registered the following monuments:

• Tsorke: village, is situated in 5km towards west from Avetaranots. Remain also vestiges of a church called Sana.
• Hghotek: an ancient and large church. About its existence evidence collapsed walls, khachkars, fragments of inscriptions. Around it are scattered gravestones of an ancient cemetery. The monument is situated in 7km towards south from Avetaranots.
• Surb Hovanes’ church: it is fully-preserved. In its surroundings are scattered khachkars, gravestones. It is situated approximately in 6km towards east from the village.
• Khachkhut (cross’ hill). Sacred place with khachkars, typical for IX-Xcc. The inscriptions on khachkars have rubbed off. Local inhabitants call the monument Eshkhachkhut. Is situated at the foot of mountain Kirs, in 6km from Avetaranots.
• Putkar: Village with an ancient cemetery and a church called Kukven (of cuckoo). Is situated in 7km from Avetaranots, in the surroundings of village Sghnakh.
• Karkap khach: the area is called Yete jur. Is situated in 5km towards west from the village, at the foot of Kirs.
• Khach blur (hill-cross). The cemetery is traditionally considered princely. It stretches not far from Avetaranots, in 1,5km towards west from the village.
• Blen khut (Bili’s hill). Remainders of an ancient settlement with a cemetery and ruins of cult constructions, jointed with the forest. Is situated in 5km towards west from the village.
• Huseyn’s ravine: the summer residence of the famous Varanda’s prince Huseyn, next to it flows a cold stream. Is situated at the foot of one of Kirs mountain-ridges’ spurs. The area rules over the surroundings and stands out with cold climate.
• Yelakhavar: Observation post. Is situated in Avetaranots, near Kusanats desert. It’s a round stony area.
• Yeghtsudzor (church’ ravine). Is situated in 3km towards east from the village. On the ravine’s slope remain ruins of a church, built from trimmed stone.
• Glkhatun: half-underground dwellings of Varanda’s princes. They have fully-preserved and are used as storage by the farm.
• Church: is situated towards east from the village, at the side of the road, taking to Stepanakert. Remain only wall-foundations. According to the inscription it was built in XIIIc.
• Gogavor kamurj (curved bridge). Spans over river Avetaranots, is placed in the bottom part of the village. One-span bridge, according to the inscription was built in 1640. The other bridge also crossed over this river is in the upper part of the village. It was built in XVIIc during the prosperity period of Varanda’s princedom.
• Ttu jur (sour water). Mineral source. Is situated in 10km from the village, at the foot of Big Kirs. Here once had been situated the health-resort of Avetaranots'’princes.
• Parav khach (ancient cross). A khachkar of average sizes. The ornaments point at Xc. Is situated next to village Nerkin Siznek.
• Stepani aghnbyur (Stepan’s spring). Is situated in 6km towards north-west from the village. Bashtunts aghbyur (Bashtunts family’s spring). Is built from stone. Is famous for crystal clear and cold water. Is situated in 3km towards east from the village.
• Salkari aghbyur: (from Arm. salkar- slab, smooth stone). Is situated near the village in a distance of 1km towards east from Bashtunts aghbyur in a beautiful ravine.
• Zoratap (from Arm. zor, zork- army, tap- field). Between villages Avetaranots and Sghnakh are still noticeable traces of one of the fortified stations- Karabakh’s sghnakhs. In the center of the monument has formed a huge heap of stone from destroyed constructions. In the background are noticeable ruins of various constructions. In the left side are seen vestiges of buildings and destroyed fences. As building material was used the local stone of grayish tint.
• Serf-walls or defense-constructions: walls 1,5-2km long, encircling the princely residence Avetaranots were built during prince Shakhnazar II’s power in XVIIc. From the strong defense system now remains little. Special interest present poly-arch entries, round floors of the tower, and the water-pipe. The crown of these constructions is desert Kusanots, which stands on the citadel. The width of the serf-walls reaches 1,5m and the height is 5m. In the citadel have well-preserved the water-pipe, basin and the underground passages. The fort also had had several secret entries and additional gates in the south-eastern part.

History

Avetaranots was known as Chanaghchi during Soviet times.

Sargis Jalalyants in old princely Avetaranots village heard a legend, according to which" Aghvan's Vache B (II) king in 5c hermited right in his arms and separated to a strict religious ascetlicism, so the name of the place was called Avetaranots (Gospel), and perhaps here the Barepasht king got the blessing paper from celebrated Armenian catholicos Gyut".

The word is about the two letters of catholicos Gyut addressed to Vache B, which have preserved in M. Kaghankatvatsi's history, but besides that history they are also mentioned in ancient handwritten works.

It's seen from the quotation, that the village's Avetaranots name is connected with Vache second's preachment. With this same Vache's name is also connected with the foundation of capital city Partav (Barday). HIs brother's son Vachagan king built the area's most remarkable convents, churches and chapels, as many as there are days in a year, i.e. over 350.

M. Barkhutaryants thinks that king Hamam is also buried in this village, and that Hamam king's grave-stone has a flat-carving with a picture of the king o the horse, a cross in his hand, behind the horse a large dragon with his mouth open; "The other side of the grave-stone is cross-ornamented and the carved place is very hard readable".ÆàÔ (1241) died Armenian king of Aghvan... I Ter Masun wrote this, those who read this, say God bless".

Most likely Hamam's original grave-stone was harmed and some Masun in àÔ (1241) put a new one and saved Barepasht Hamam king's grave from obscurity. Hamam's memorials are left in different places of old Artsakh. Even now a hill in the field of Varanda's Majkap village is called Hamam's khut. The canyon situated above Nerkin Khachen's Garnakar village is called Hamam's canyon with the remainders of its princely palaces. The inscription left by Hamam on his son's grave-stone was found in Gyavur Ghala (Godless or Armenian fort) ruins near Aghdam region's village Sofulu. Now that grave-stone is kept in history museum of Azerbaijan.

At the end of 19c E. Lalayan wrote the following:

"Now Avetaranots looks like a village-town. The numerous beautiful houses furnished with European taste, the quite decent shops completely change the picture of the village. There are also three textile-factories in the village, which have had and have quite a large influence on the economical and moral statues/ condition of the village. This too is the favorite summer-cottage of Shushetsis (people from Shushi)".

Homestays

Mardik

Mardik (Մարդիկ ♂) Tel: 233-101

Note: Mardik is the contact, but it's not his place, it's his sister's. She's married with two university-age daughters and a teenage son. The daughters speak a bit of English. They're a very nice family, warm and friendly. The house is comfortable. Good food.

Camping

Trails

Himnakan Janapar (Backbone Trail)
Nor Manashid > Dadivank > Vaghuhas > Vank > Kolatak > Ptretsik > Aygestan > Stepanakert > Mkhitarishen > Avetaranots > Karmir Shuka > Azokh > Togh > Hadrut