Welcome Armenia invites you to discover an ancient mysteriousplace full of secrets and puzzles where the traces of various

nations and cultures can be found. St. Cross preserving place- Akhtala monastery surpassed European renaissance passing through the invasions of Tamerlane and inspiring Pasolini of Armenian cinematography. Akhtala is truly full of mysterious

legends and picturesque landscapes and it was always a source of inspiration even for ordinary people.

Akhtala (from turkish

“white glade”) is a 10th century fortified monastic

complex located in the village of Akhtala in the marz of Lori, 185 kilometers (114.885 miles)

north of Yerevan. The fortress’

territory is surrounded with rocky deep canyons from three sides, and the north side joins

the plain.

PLAN OF MONASTERY

Akhtala monastery is one of a few orthodox monasteries in Armenia. Its erection coincides with Armenian Renaissance, which surpassed European Renaissance for several centuries. Here for some time was treasured such an important relic as the St. Cross, by which,

according to Christian tradition, St. John had baptized Jesus Christ.

From the ancient times silver and non-ferrous metals were extracted from this region Georgian king Herakles took Greeks here for works from Trabzon.

Then, French bought Akhtala deposit, and Greeks took the Alaverdi one.

With this very event Armenian people tells the

Legend as if Charles de Gaulle was born in Akhtala who would

Later become a president of France.

It is very likely that soon in this village the statue of Liberty would appear, since the original

one French people molded of Akhtala copper and after made

a present to United States.

In 1887-1889 French archeologist engineer and geologist Jacque de

Morgan, discovered rectangular stone sepulchers near Akhtala, dating back to the 8th century, with valuable cultural items made of clay, bronze and iron. A crypt from III millennia B.C. was found here, when people had been burring in

sitting position. “This region is of special interest in the study of the origins of

metals. Older than Europe and Greece, it still retains the traces of those

civilizations that were the cradle of our own”,- wrote Jacques de Morgan.

The monastery of Akhtala is not only a harmonious synthesis of Armenian,

Georgian and Byzantine cultures, but it is also a kind of thermometer to measure

historical and cultural situation of the time.

It is supposed that Kyurikids founded the fortress and the church of Akhtala in X century. At the end of XII centurythe influence of Zakarian feudal family increased among the Armenian

princely dynasties. Following their political

purposes, Zakareh remained a member

of the Armenian Apostolic Church, while Ivaneh

accepted the Greek Orthodoxy. .

AKHTALA AKHTALA MONASTERY MONASTERY SURPASSED SURPASSED EUROPEAN EUROPEAN

RENAISSANCERENAISSANCE

YOU CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS ARTICLE ON MY BLOG

THANK YOU FOR THANK YOU FOR ATTENTIONATTENTION

PLEASE, PLEASE, WRITE YOUR COMMENTSWRITE YOUR COMMENTS

FEED-BACKArmenuhi IVANYAN Marketing Specialist

Phone: +37410-527737Fax:+37410-580091

Adresse: Baghramyan 3/3, Yerevan, ARMENIAEmail: armenuhi_ivanyan@7days.am

7days@7days.am

URL: http://www.welcomearmenia.com http://www.7days.am

“7days”… Armenia Travel Agency