Tanahat Monastery: A Medieval Armenian Treasure

Tanahat Monastery, also called Karmir Monastery, is situated in the Vayots Dzor Province of Armenia, approximately 7 km southeast of Vernashen village. Founded in the 8th century on the site of a pagan temple dedicated to the goddess Anahit, the monastery has been a significant spiritual and cultural center throughout the Middle Ages. The name 'Karmir' (Red) comes from the reddish stones used in its construction. The monastery complex includes the St. Stepanos (St. Stephen) Church, built between 1273 and 1279 under the patronage of the Proshyan princely family, and the Surb Nshan (Holy Sign) Church, dating back to the 13th century. The architecture showcases Armenian ecclesiastical design, with a domed roof and intricate carvings. The exterior of St. Stepanos features a rectangular shape with a slender 12-facet drum and a tent-roof spire. Inside, the church has a cruciform interior with annexes in its four corners. Tanahat Monastery may have been the location of Gladzor University, a prominent educational institution in Medieval Armenia, established around 1280. The university taught theology, logic, geometry, astronomy, and other sciences. Famous students included historian Stepanos Orbelian, philosophers Yesayi Nchetsi and Hovhan Vorotnetsi, architect Momik, and miniature painters Toros Taronatsi and Avag. Visitors can explore the monastery's well-preserved structures, including the high-relief carvings on the dome of St. Stephen's Church, depicting religious and secular themes. The southern wall of the church features the Proshian emblem, an eagle clutching a lamb. A sundial adorned with images of peacocks can also be seen on the southern wall. The Surb Nshan Church displays a bas-relief carving above the entry, depicting a hunting scene. Ruins of secular buildings, tombstones, and khachkars (cross-stones) surround the churches.