ARMENIA

Anyone who has participated in previous trips will probably understand the feelings we experienced before our departure, the same for whoever is preparing for an experience of this magnitude for the first time. The entire trip – aimed at investigating the charming past of the Caucasus – was marked by the physical and perceptual involvement of all the participants while reaching and enjoying the monuments. The interaction between all members of the group and their genuine willingness to share, as well as the unexpected feeling of familiarity with the places we visited, made this trip truly unique.

Our adventure started earlier than the majority of the group. We joined them in Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, after a stopover in Prague and a long night of travel. Upon our arrival, although very tired, we excitedly headed towards the first monument, the Jvari Church. A symbol of the Georgian people's identity, the church was brought to life by a large crowd gathered to celebrate Independence Day. The circular movement of the faithful around this central-plan building followed the position of the podium, set slightly off-centre in honour of the Holy Cross, to which the church is dedicated. Here, we could not help but catch the pleasant smell of the leaves being stepped on by the devotees walking in circles.

The following day, after reaching Armenia and regaining our strength, we went into the forest in search of two monasteries, the first one being the Jukhtavank monastery. It consists of two separate churches, which both feature a dome and a podium and probably a gavit, as suggested by the numerous funerary slabs located by the entrances. The second monastery, called Matosavank – well-known in literature for being difficult to access – turned out to be very difficult to reach indeed and strained our dedication. In both monasteries, we were unexpectedly caught by surprise with the presence of sacrificial stones outside the churches. Characterised by concave depressions of different shapes on their upper surface, these were used for animal sacrifices. Their presence testifies, even today, the pagan rites that occurred at these sites.

During the days that followed, we had the chance to observe Armenian monasteries from a different point of view. Designed in harmony with the surrounding nature, they emerge also as distinctive landmarks, as is the case of the great Goshavank monastery, which was erected on a hilltop, exemplifying the significant role these monastic complexes assumed as cultural centres. This monastery, in particular, included a huge two-storey library. Unfortunately, nothing but the building has been preserved, due to a fire.

With a stunning view over Lake Sevan, the Hayravank and Sevanavank monasteries also look over the landscape, demonstrating how crucial the choice of a predominant position is for the erection of sacred places, which stand out from the landscape thanks to the local stone they are made from. A majestic gavit with its dome makes the Hayravank monastery very remarkable and shows how an architectural element can carry a decorative function, rendered simply by using stones of different colours. Conversely, the space dedicated to the church itself is much more limited and is characterised by a high podium, which can usually reach up to a metre and a half in height.

Examples of the domination of the territory include the remains of the Fortress and Castle of Amberd and the Vahramashen church. Extraordinary technical abilities are demonstrated by the creation of a large water system, including tanks – equipped with bathrooms that most likely also benefitted from a heating system – that allowed water to flow directly into the building.

Our journey through the unspoilt nature did not, however, keep us from relating with the people who enjoy these monuments every day, adding value to our experience and impressing us from a human point of view. Inside the cemetery of Noratoos, a limping man enthusiastically insisted on guiding us through the site and tried to tell us the history of the main finds through gestures, breaking down the language barrier between us. In the church of Marmashen, a woman singing in prayer allowed us to experience the Armenian church acoustics directly, and Prof. Foletti, Martin and Katarina tested these sound potentialities, too. Moreover, it is worth highlighting a further aspect of this church, that is, the uniqueness of the seats arranged along the central apse, which led us to debate its origin and potential function.

When it comes to Armenian art, architecture is usually thought to be the only character. Yet, we were able to admire three examples of buildings with the remains of frescoes: Talin Cathedral and a village church dedicated to St. John in Mastara – notable for its dome, which is the largest one still existing – as well as the church of St. Gregory belonging to the Akthala monastery. As a result of its geographical position, on the border between Armenia and Georgia, the latter presents characteristics common to the two medieval architectures we took into consideration. This allowed us to appreciate a different kind of building and gain a different perception of the sacred space, as a result.

Of all the monuments seen during this trip, the remains of Ererouk stand out, thanks to the majesty of the building and the presence of some architectural elements completely unknown to us before then, such as the external niches and the towers on the two-level facade. This taught us that there is still much to be discovered about Caucasian art, which is frequently overlooked by Western art historians and whose role in the early centuries of the Christian era is often forgotten.

In conclusion, we had the impression that Armenia is a rural country – lost in the wonderful imperfection of nature – whose population is heir to a little-known, poorly-studied and very often abandoned heritage. And it is this strange "disinterest" that has likely allowed, most of the time, the oldest phases to be preserved – at the expense, however, of the state of conservation of the monuments themselves. This adventure allowed us to identify the main characteristics of Armenia's artistic and architectural production and enjoy the uniqueness of every single monument visited, leaving us amazed.