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Goshavank Under Threat of Destruction

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  • Goshavank Under Threat of Destruction

    GOSHAVANK UNDER THREAT OF DESTRUCTION

    YEREVAN, August 2 (Noyan Tapan). The monastic complex of Goshavank
    (Getikavank) is completely accident-prone. Artsrun Hovsepian, Director
    of the Historical-Cultural Center, told NT's correspondent that the
    state of the complex sharply worsened after the 1988 earthquake, and
    the restoration work hasn't been carried out here for about 300
    years. Only in 1961, the roof was partially renewed (but in a wrong
    way), as a result inscriptions made with a cochineal paint (vordan
    karmir) started being destroyed of rains. According to Artsrun
    Hovsepian, these inscriptions contain historic information about
    medieval Armenia. "The destruction of the inscriptions made with this
    paint will be an irretrievable loss for the history," said
    A. Hovsepian. It was also mentioned that a museum, which has 10
    exhibits, was opened at the temple in 1985. But today the museum is
    situated in a timber house. According to A. Hovsepian, the Fund on
    Goshavank Saving will be established upon the initiative of several
    interested people in the near future. This Fund will find means for
    the restoration of the complex. According to preliminary calculations,
    about 260,000 dollars will be necessary for this purpose. The
    Goshavank complex consists of seven constructions, including the
    Cyclopean wall built in the first century, several churches, a chapel
    and a vestibule. The first filigree khachkar (cross-stone) is
    preserved in Goshavank. In 1184, Mkhitar Gosh, great medieval thinker,
    philosopher, lawyer, first Armenian fabulist, created the first
    Armenian code of laws, which left a deep trace in the development of
    the world juridical thought. The great philosopher of the Middle Ages
    established the Supreme Theological University here in 1198, where
    along with other subjects they were taught art of wall
    inscriptions. Great representatives of the Armenian literary and
    spiritual though Kirakos Gandzaketsi, Martiros Sarkavag and Vanakan
    Vardapet studied in this theological center.
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