Saint Hovhannes Church of Avan: A Fifth-Century Armenian Church in Yerevan
Site at a Glance
- Rating
- 4.8
- Popularity
- Very Low
- Country
- Armenia
- Primary era
- Classical
- Eras represented
- Classical, Medieval
- Civilizations
- Armenian
- Site type
- Religious
- Remains
- Church
On this page5 sections
History
Saint Hovhannes Church of Avan is a fifth-century Armenian Apostolic church in Yerevan, Armenia. It belongs to the Ararat Diocese, the administrative territory of the Armenian Apostolic Church covering this area. The church was reconstructed during the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, when the surrounding medieval cemetery also took shape. It is now protected as a cultural monument in Armenia.
Remains
The surviving complex centers on a ruined single-nave church, meaning that its interior has one longitudinal space rather than several parallel aisles. A barrel vault, a continuous tunnel-like ceiling, covers the building. Its walls are made from finely dressed apricot-colored and black tuff, a porous volcanic stone widely used in Armenia. Crosses appear throughout the structure, including one carved on the entrance lintel and numerous ornamental examples cut into the walls.
Church and Sanctuary
Sanctuary Composition
The sanctuary has a distinctive arrangement on a rectangular flat surface. At its center, a round sphere carries finely carved patterns, while carved eagles stand on either side. The sphere represents authority and the eagles represent strength. An inscription beside the imagery is difficult to read, while another survives high on the sanctuaryβs left wall. Associated decoration includes frescoes depicting Daniel among the lions and a fish.
Courtyard Monuments
Monuments and khachkars, Armenian carved stone cross monuments often bearing ornament and inscriptions, survive around the church. An inscribed khachkar stands on the left side of the courtyard. The surrounding area also contains a medieval cemetery dated to the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, preserving the wider historical setting of the reconstructed church.
