|
The Armenian Monastic Ensembles of Iran located in the West Azerbaijan and East Azerbaijan provinces in Iran are an ensemble of the three Armenian churches which were established during the period between 7th and 14th centuries. The religious edifices, which represent the Armenian culture, are the St. Thaddeus Monastery, the Saint Stepanos Monastery and the Chapel of Dzordzor, which have undergone many renovations. These sites were inscribed in the 32nd session of the World Heritage Committee on 8 July 2008 under the UNESCO’s World Heritage List. The three churches lie in a total area of 129 ha and are cultural heritages inscribed under UNESCO Criteria (ii) for its Outstanding Universal Value of Armenian architectural and decorative traditions, (iii) as a major centre for diffusion of Armenian culture in the region, and (vi) as the place of pilgrimage of the apostle of the Armenian religious traditions, and represent the last vestiges of the Armenian culture at the right extreme in its south-eastern periphery. The ensemble is in a good state of preservation.〔 ==History== According to unverified reports it is believed that the thaumaturgic apostle was buried at the site of the St. Thaddeus Monastery in the 1st century AD, and that Saint Gregory was responsible for establishing a monastery here in the 4th century. However, the recorded proof is that St. Thaddeus Monastery is dated to the 7th century, and was the second Armenian church to be built, following the Etchmiadzin Cathedral.〔 It was the seat of the diocese in the 10th century. It was destroyed in an earthwork in 1319. Bishop Zachariah got it rebuilt in the 1320s. During the reign of the Safavid dynasty the monasteries prospered in the 15th century but during the period of attacks by the Ottomans, Armenians emigrated to Central Iran. The monasteries were then deserted during the 16th and 17th centuries. Once the Safavids reestablished themselves in the area, the monasteries were reoccupied and renovated. However, during the 18th century the area became a melting pot of conflicts among the Russians, Ottoman and Persian empires to get control. With Persians gaining control, the monasteries were damaged. During the Qudaar dynasty period Armenians regained control over the monasteries and they were rebuilt. St. Thaddeus Monastery, the White Church as it is known, and as it exists today, was rebuilt in 1814. The monastery was again refurbished in the 1970s. Similarly, it is recorded that Saint Stepanos Monastery was established in 649 AD and a new one built at the location in the 10th century. It was a major Christian church during the history of Armenian independence and development. After it suffered damages due to earthquake, it was rebuilt by Bishop Zachariah in the 1320s. It became the centre of influence in the region in Christian missionary work during the entire 14th century. This period marked the creation of literary manuscripts and paintings on religious themes. The monastery was rebuilt during the period from 1819 to 1825 and became a center of religious activity. It was again refurbished in the 1970s, and during 1983 to 2001. The Dzordzor chapel was built on the bank of the Makuchay River at Dzordzor by Bishop Zachariah in 1314 which was on very modest lines, and the vestiges of an earlier religious monument dated between 10th and 12th centuries here were utilized. During the period of Ottoman some parts of the chapel were destroyed, except the chapel. However, the chapel, after it had been renovated earlier, came under submergence of a dam and had to be shifted to a new location upstream which was done stone by stone with utmost care. The large monastery had damaged and destroyed by early 17th century. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Armenian Monastic Ensembles of Iran」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|