TATEV

The monastery of 'Tatev' (Armenian : 'Տաթեվ') - established in 895 - is located in the village of the same. The term "Tatev" usually refers to the monastery.
The Road to Tatev (Section 6; Map L)
Two roads lead to the village of Shinuhayr (2222 p, 17th c. S. Stepanos church, cave dwellings near old village, and a fine, tall 16th c. khachkar) (take the SW fork, not the SE toward Khot) from both West and South of Goris. The latter road turns W from Karahunj (1172 p), which has a S. Hripsime shrine of 1675, cave dwellings, khachkars, and a fort of some description. Khot (863 p), boasted a ruined 5-8th c. church, Khotavank, now gone, an insignificant Meghradzori Khach church of 1700, ruins of Karmir Khach church in the cemetery, Iron Age tombs and, near the gorge, the ruined medieval castle of Khanapa and other remains. Halidzor village (563 p) was donated to Tatev Monastery in the 10th c. It has an early 17th c. church and, 1 km E, Vanasar, a site with khachkars, which Prince Tarsayich Orbelian gave to the architect Siranes as payment for building Amaghu Noravank.
Satanayi KamurjFrom Halidzor, the road winds down into the gorge of the Vorotan. Just before the winding begins, there is a small stone gazebo like monument to a girl who threw herself into the gorge at that picturesque spot, rather than be forced into marriage with a Muslim ruler. From here you can see Tatev Monastery across the gorge at the top. You cross the river at the so-called Satan's Bridge =70= (39 23.72n x 046 15.53e) where the Vorotan goes briefly underground through a cave. Above the bridge is a warm spring and picnic area, worth a brief halt, which also makes a good camping spot. On the roadside just a few meters past the steps, which lead to the pools, is a little spring coming out of a small pipe in the mountainside. It is a naturally carbonated mineral spring, and if you catch some water, you’ll slowly see bubbles form in the water. There is an isolated 11-13th c. church in the valley below the Devil's bridge. The road then switchbacks steeply up to the village of Tatev (985 p) and the nearby monastery.
Tatev Monastery ComplexThe fortified Tatev Monastery
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★ =100= (39 22.81n x 046 15.01e) stands overlooking the Vorotan gorge from a very strong setting. It was for centuries the seat of the Bishops of Syunik, a center of learning, and storehouse of wealth from taxing all the villages in the region. According to legend it was named for St. Eustathius, one of 70 disciples who accompanied the Apostle Thaddeus into Armenia. Stepanos Orbelian, the medieval bishop/historian of Syunik, recounts that Tatev housed 600 monks, philosophers "deep as the sea," able musicians, painters, calligraphers, and all the other accoutrements of a center of culture and learning. The monastery produced teachers and manuscripts for the whole Armenian world.
Stepanos Orbelian knew no date for the original insignificant church on the site. However, Bishop Davit gathered the princes of Syunik in 844 and persuaded them to grant the monastery villages and lands worthy of the relics -- including bits of S. John the Baptist, S. Stephen, S. Hripsime, S. Gregory the Illuminator, and a piece of the True Cross -- that had found their way to the designated seat of the Bishops of Syunik. It was Bishop Ter-Hovhannes, however, who built the main church dedicated to Saints Poghos and Petros (Paul and Peter) in 895-906. Ter-Hovhannes was the son of a poor villager. According to Stepanos Orbelian, the young Hovhannes, sent off by his cruel step-mother to watch the mayor's chickens, lost them, and took refuge at the monastery. There his intellectual gifts brought him a rapid ascent. Elected bishop by acclamation, he resolved to build a church worthy of the See, and did so. The N facade has carved portraits of the donors, Prince Ashot, his wife Shusan, Grigor Supan of Gegharkunik, and Prince Dzagik. There are remains of the original 10th c. frescos within. The S. Grigor church of 1295 adjoins. In the courtyard is an octagonal pillar 8 m high which allegedly pivots on a hinge.
In 1830, Smith and Dwight found two bishops, ten vartapets, and two deacons, supervising a diocese of 74 villages and 62 priests. In the Russo-Persian war, the monastery had been pillaged, the bishop tortured and carried off to Tabriz. Tatev remained an active monastery in the 19th c, but fell on hard times in the Soviet period. The earthquake of 1931 did considerable damage, some of which has recently been repaired.
Harants AnapatIn the S part of the village is Tatev hermitage (Harants Anapat) of the 17th c. There is also a site near Tatev village called Tsuravank, a monastery of the 10-17th c. In the middle of the villages lies the simple village church, which was restored by the Land and Culture Organization during the 1990's. A difficult dirt road, requiring good ground clearance, continues S from Tatev through beautiful wooded country. The first fork right leads to Svarants (336 p). Staying left, the road then passes turns for Tandzatap (102 p 11-13th c. monastery), Kashuni (30 p, formerly Maldash), and Aghvani (102 p), with Iron Age burials and a 17th c. church. Tandzaver (225 p) has a 17th c. church and a ruined medieval fort, and Bronze Age tomb fields. Then follow a cluster of villages on the Achanan river and its tributaries: Verev Khotanan (294 p) has W of it the 10-14th c. Ghazarants hamlet with a S. Astvatsatsin church; Tavros (93 p) used to be the Azeri village of Dovrus; Nerkin Khotanan (100 p S. Astvatsatsin church of 17-19th c.); Gharatgha (0 p) 17th c. Horomants church nearby; Okhtar (100 p) 10th c church; Dzorastan (117 p) medieval fort, 17th c. church; Shrvenants (72 p) 10-11th c. church; Norashenik (161 p) 17th c. church; Antarashat (129 p) has S. Hripsime church of 10th c. in the village, which was known to Stepanos Orbelian as Torini; Arajadzor (197 p) has Melik-Stepanian family tomb in village; 2 km SE is ancient cemetery. Achanan (150 p, formerly Khalaj) has a church. The road joins up with the main Kapan-Goris road just E of Kapan.