Karmravank (Vaspurakan)

Karmravank (Armenian: Կարմրավանք, meaning Red Monastery) is an abandoned 10th century Armenian monastery in the Vaspurakan province of historic Armenia^[1] (now in the Van Province of Turkey). It was founded by King Gagik I (908-943) of the Artsruni dynasty.^[1] It is located 12 kilometers west-northwest of Akhtamar Island.

Karmravank Կարմրավանք
Karmravank in Summer 2006
Religion
Affiliation	Armenian Apostolic Church
Status	abandoned
Location
Location	southern shore of Lake Van
Shown within Turkey
Geographic coordinates	38.372315°N 42.904281°E / 38.372315; 42.904281
Architecture
Style	Armenian
Groundbreaking	tenth century

Gallery

• 
  Karmravank in its natural setting
• 
  View of the church from the south
• 
  View of the church from the south-west
• 
  View of church from the west
• 
  Closeup of the damaged dome
• 
  An Armenian khachkar reused as a lintel
• 
  Upper level doorway leading to the north-west gallery
• 
  Drum of the church and its supporting vaults
• 
  View of dome from the inside
• 
  The apse of the church
• 
  View of Lake Van and Mount Artos seen from the monastery

See also

• Narekavank, a nearby 10th century Armenian monastery also founded by King Gagik
• Akhtamar Island, a nearby island on Lake Van with the 10th century Armenian Church of the Holy Cross

References

1. Hewsen, Robert H. (2000), "Van in This World; Paradise in the Next: The Historical Geography of Van/Vaspurakan", in Hovannisian, Richard G. (ed.), Armenian Van/Vaspurakan, Historic Armenian Cities and Provinces, Costa Mesa, California: Mazda Publishers, p. 27, OCLC 44774992

External links

• Recent pictures