Categories: Antiquities

Church of St. Gevorg in Mughni

Mughni Monastery is located in the village of the same name north of the town of Ashtarak in Aragatsotn Province. The complex includes the main church of St. Gevorg (1661–1669) with a gallery, a refectory, the abbot’s apartments, and office premises. The buildings of the monastery are surrounded by a beautiful & well-kept garden and a wall.

The Church of St. Gevorg was built by architect Sahak Khizanetsi and his successor Murat in the crossed-dome architectural style.

Possessing considerable size, the church is one of the most interesting buildings of its time. The round drum of the dome is crowned with a tented roof. Under the dome windows, there is a relief image of evangelists.

The interior of the church features preserved fragments of paintings of the 17th century. The open three-arch gallery was built simultaneously with the church and differs from similar buildings. Its average span is made somewhat higher and wider than the side, which greatly enhances its architectural expressiveness. The gallery is crowned by a 12-column belfry rotunda.

Surb Gevorg Church (Mughni, Armenia) XIV century

Vigen Avetisyan

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