Aghjots Monastery: A Medieval Armenian Sanctuary

Aghjots Monastery, also called Surb Stepanos, is a 13th-century monastery located in the Ararat region of Armenia, about 7 km southeast of Geghard, within the Khosrov State Reserve. According to local legend, Grigor Lusavorich (Gregory the Illuminator) founded the original monastery in the 4th century on the site where Stepanos, an attendant of Hripsime, was martyred. The present monastic complex was constructed in the 13th century. The complex comprises two churches: the Church of Surb Stepanos (Saint Stephen), the main church built between 1212 and 1217, and the Church of Surb Poghos-Petros (Saints Paul and Peter), built in 1270. A gavit (narthex) was added to the complex between 1217 and 1234. The monastery has a rich history, having been sacked by Persians in 1603 and later damaged by the earthquake of 1679. It was restored but fell into disrepair again after invasions in the 18th century and during the Armenian-Tatar massacres of 1905-1906. Architecturally, the main church, Surb Stepanos, features a cruciform interior and a vaulted structure. The Church of Saints Paul and Peter is notable for its reliefs of the apostles Paul and Peter, a rare feature in Armenian architecture, reminiscent of Romanesque and Gothic styles. The walls of both churches are adorned with inscriptions, floral and geometric patterns, and scenes from the Old and New Testaments. Numerous khachkars (cross-stones) dating from the 12th to 17th centuries can be found throughout the site. Today, Aghjots Monastery is included on the watch list of the World Monument Fund.