Saint Grigor Monastery: A Medieval Armenian Monastery near Ani
Site at a Glance
- Popularity
- Low
- Country
- Turkey
- Primary era
- Medieval
- Eras represented
- Medieval
- Civilizations
- Armenian, Georgian
- Site type
- Religious
- Remains
- Monastery
History
Saint Grigor Monastery is an Armenian-style monastery at Güllüce, near Ani in Türkiye, probably built in the 13th century and affiliated with the Armenian Apostolic Church. It is also known as Zakare’s church and is no longer active. Saint Grigor refers to Gregory the Illuminator, a central saint in Armenian Christianity. In 1881, the Armenian historian Ghevond Alishan called the site the Church of Saint Gregory.
An inscription at the nearby Church of Saint Elia describes a monument erected within a monastery near a church built by Saint Grigor. It credits Zakare with erecting the monument during Queen Tamar’s rule, probably around 1200. Tamar ruled Georgia from 1184 to 1213, and Zakare was identified in the inscription as commander-in-chief of the Georgian army. Another passage calls Zakare and his brother Ivane “Kings of Armenia.”
Remains
The partly ruined monastery is a dome-supported hall in an Armenian style, set on rocky heights in Ani’s southern outskirts, south of the citadel. Its surviving fabric includes the south and east walls.
