ARMENIA ~ Matenadaran - Yerevan ~

... Great view of one of the oldest and richest book-depositories in the world.... the pride of Armenian culture... the building itself is a masterpiece... with unique collection of  medieval manuscripts and books... a gem and must visit for culture and history lovers... beautifully preserved and presented... Yerevan is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world... Thanks a lot Johanna!!❁◕ ‿ ◕❁

Ⓒ 2015, ZH PhotoDesign Studio
The Matenadaran, the Institute of Ancient Manuscripts, was founded in 1959 as the State depository of manuscripts. The Matenadaran is named after Mesrop Mashtots, the creator of Armenian Alphabet. 11000 completely preserved handwritten books and more than 2000 partially preserved manuscripts are the core of the Matenadarans collection. “Matenadaran” means a "book-depository" in ancient Armenian.

The building was constructed in the spirit of national 12th and 13thC traditions. The monument to Mesrop Mashtots, the founder of Armenian writing stands in front of it.

Yerevan is the capital and largest city of Armenia situated along the Hrazdan River,

Stamp:

Forget-Me-Not Flowers - The 100th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide
(Issued 29-01-2015)

ARMENIA ~ Zvartnots Cathedral - UNESCO ~

...  Great ruins view with mount Ararat in the background...these impressive columns and capitals are well preserved.... an architectural wonder... this is my last card received from Sini's travels last year in the Caucasus... visiting many wonderful UNESCO sites... it was so nice to be a little part of your amazing journey... through your postcards and writing I discovered a totally unknown region to me... Thanks a million!! (✿ ♥‿♥)

Photo: Levon Bakhshyan
Zvartnots Cathedral( meaning "celestial angels") is a 7th-century centrally planned aisled tetraconch type Armenian cathedral built by the order of Catholicos Nerses the Builder from 641-661 and possible destroyed destroyed either by Arabs, or by earthquake.  It is located at the edge of the city of Vagharshapat in Armavir Province.

The cathedral is unique by it's central planning (one of the oldest planning forms, there are only couple of such cathedrals found in the territory of Armenia).

Together with churches in Vagharshapat (Etchmiadzin), Zvartnots was added to the UNESCO WHS list in 2000.

Stamp:

UNESCO World Cultural Heritage - Armenian Cross-Stones
(Issued 12-12-2014)

ARMENIA ~ Geghard Monastery - UNESCO ~

... This will be my 4 breathtaking monastery view and once more a great new UNESCO site... Geghard Monastery is probably the most visited site in the country... set in a narrow gorge...Armenia has more than hundred Christian monasteries...  Thanks a lot Sini!!【ツ】

Photo: Levon Bakhshyan
Built up against a cliff face, the main cathedral was built in 1215. The monastery complex was founded in the 4th century by Gregory the Illuminator at the site of a sacred spring inside a cave. The complex is carved into the side of the mountain. It consists of several churches, tombs, a defense wall and carved out crosses (khatckars).

Geghard means 'spear' and is reputed to have once contained the spear which pierced the side of Christ on the cross; the spear now lies in the treasury at Echmiadzin.

Monastery of Geghard and the Upper Azat Valley was listed as a UNESCO WHS site in 2000.

Stamp:

UNESCO World Cultural Heritage - Armenian Cross-Stones
(Issued 12-12-2014)

ARMENIA ~ Tatev Monastery - UNESCO Tentative List ~

... Another fantastic view of  one of the countries many spectacular monasteries... a unique example of Armenian medieval architecture.... it is incredibly well-maintained and provides breathtaking views... situated in the biggest gorge of the country upon a clifftop overlooking a huge valley... still two more to come ヅ...Thanks so much Sini!!  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Photo: Levon Bakhshyan
The monastery of Tatev is situated high on the side of the Vorotan gorge, at 850 metres deep. The monastic buildings are protected on two sides by precipitous ravines and on the other two sides by defensive walls. The buildings of Tatev itself date from the ninth to the thirteenth centuries and the monastery of Tatevi Anapat, on the bottom of the valley, dates to the seventeenth century. This area of the Vorotan Valley is of considerable geological interest.

Tatev Monastery consists of three churches (ST. Paul and Peter, ST. Gregory the Illuminator and ST. Mary), a library, dining hall, mausoleum as well as other administrative buildings.

The historic monastery is also accessible by  the world’s longest non-stop double track cable car. The ropeway “Wings of Tatev” is 5,752 m (18,871 ft). The tramway connects the village of Halizor with the medieval Tatev Monastery, offering a unforgettable journey across the Vorotan River Gorge.

In 1995, the monasteries of Tatev, Tatevi Anapat and their adjacent areas of the Vorotan Valley were added to the tentative list of World Heritage Sites of UNESCO.

Stamp:

UNESCO World Cultural Heritage - Armenian Cross-Stones
(Issued 12-12-2014)

ARMENIA ~ Sanahin Monastery - UNESCO ~

...A charming looking monastery with moss covered roofs situated in a remote part of northern Armenia.... Sanahin monastery was one of the educational centres of Armenia.... Armenia is particularly rich in Christian monuments and  has been described as an "open-air museum of Christianity"... this small country in the Caucuses was the first nation to adopt Christianity as its state religion in 301 AD... with nice Unesco stamp... Thanks a lot Sini!! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Photo: Levon Bakhshyan
The monastery was built in the Lori Provence during the Byzantine era between the 10th and 13th centuries, along with nearby Haghpat Monastery. It served as an important centre of learning during medieval times. As a result, you can still find medieval libraries and secret hiding places for manuscripts in the complex.

The name Sanahin in Armenian means “older than that” evoking that it is older than the nearby Haghpat monastery.

The monastery represents an entire complex, which comprises the Church of Saint Astvatsatsin, the Church of All-Savior, the Chapel of Grigor, scriptorium, academy, the gavit of Saint Astvatsatsin Church, the gavit of All-Savior Church, the belfry, the sepulcher of Kyurikyans, the sepulcher of Zakaryans, the sepulcher of Arghutyan-Erkaynabazuks (Long-Armed), the Church of Saint Hakob, the spring and the refectory.

Carrying outstanding universal value to humanity the Monastery of Sanahin was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1999.

Stamp:

UNESCO World Cultural Heritage - Armenian Cross-Stones
(Issued 12-12-2014)

ARMENIA ~Khor Virap monastery - Ararat mountains ~

Postcard nr2 coming from Armenia... breathtaking mountain and monastery view... Thanks a lot Patrik!!


With great stamps and postmark!
 Armenian alphabet
(Issued 30-07-2013)
Cilician Kingdom of Armenia
(Issued 28-12-2013)

The Khor Virap is an Armenian Apostolic Church monastery located in the Ararat valley near the border with Turkey. Originally build 642 AD by Nerses III the Builder. Over the centuries, it was repeatedly rebuilt. In 1662, the larger chapel known as the "St. Astvatsatsin" (Holy Mother of God) was built around the ruins of the old chapel, the monastery, the refectory and the cells of the monks. Now, regular Church services are held in this church.
It is probably the most visited pilgrimage site in Armenia.

 Mount Ararat is a snow-capped, dormant volcanic cone in Turkey.  Mount Ararat in Judeo-Christian tradition is associated with the "Mountains of Ararat" where, according to the book of Genesis, Noah's ark came to rest.

Although the mountain is not in modern Armenia today, the best view of the Holy mountain is in fact from Armenia.

Photo Levon Bakhshyan

ARMENIA ~Haghartsin Monastry ~

Great  ancient monastery view in a beautiful forest setting...My second new place whitin a few days!! ^__^ Thanks so much Luca!!


With nice stamps:  Children Paintings "My ball"
(Issued 28-12-2012)

Haghartsin is a monastery located near the town of Dilijan in the Tavush Province of Armenia.
The complex includes a series of churches dating from the 10th to 14th centuries.
The monastery of Haghartsin, together with that of Goshavank, may become part of a natural site based on the state protected area of Dilijan National Park, an important forest in north-eastern Armenia.

Armenia is located in the southern Caucasus and is the smallest of the former Soviet republics. It is bounded by Georgia on the north, Azerbaijan on the east, Iran on the south, and Turkey on the west.
A land of rugged mountains and extinct volcanoes, its highest point is Mount Aragats, 4.095m (13,435 ft).