Saint Christopher Monastery

Saint Christopher Monastery (Armenian: Սուրբ Քրիստափորի վանք) is a restored Armenian church of the 7th century, located in a cemetery 2.2 kilometres (1.4 mi) southeast of the outskirts of Dashtadem village and Dashtadem Fortress in the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia.^[1] Adjacent to the church (north) is a 13th-century stone rectangular tower (bell/defensive/funerary) with sloped walls.^[2] It has small windows on the upper portion of the wall, but no access to the interior. The surrounding cemetery has been in use from the 6th century to modern times, and contains several interesting khachkars. A low-stone wall surrounds the complex and a section of the old cemetery. Dashtadem Fortress may be seen in the distance from the monastery.

Saint Christopher Monastery Սուրբ Քրիստափորի վանք
Saint Christopher Monastery (7th-century, restored), 13th-century rectangular bell tower (left)
Religion
Affiliation	Armenian Apostolic Church
Status	Inactive, restored
Location
Location	Dashtadem, Aragatsotn Province,  Armenia
Shown within Armenia Show map of Armenia Saint Christopher Monastery (Aragatsotn) Show map of Aragatsotn
Geographic coordinates	40.322975°N 43.859398°E / 40.322975; 43.859398
Architecture
Type	Small cruciform central-plan
Style	Armenian
Completed	7th-century, with a 13th-century rectangular bell tower/funerary tower (north)
Specifications
Direction of façade	west
Dome(s)	1

Architecture

Surb Nshan Church

The Church of Surp Nshan is constructed of orange and gray tuff stone. Some of the stones on the southern and western exterior façades bear inscriptions in Armenian. A single compound dome is centered above the main body of the church, with an octagonal façade around the drum and dome. Light penetrates the interior of the structure via four small windows positioned around the drum, and two slightly larger windows above the entry and the semi-circular apse to the east. A portal to the west serves as the only entrance to the interior. Low-relief pairs of decorative columns stand at either side of the exterior of the entry, supporting a semi-circular arched lintel. The lintel has dentil ornamentation lining its outer edge. The interior of the church is unadorned and reminiscent of Kamsarakan S. Astvatsatsin Church found in the nearby village of Talin, within the Talin Cathedral complex.

Gallery

• 
  Large khachkar along the road leading to the monastery
• 
  General view of the Monastery
• 
  Church drum and dome interior

References

1. Kiesling, Brady; Kojian, Raffi (2005). Rediscovering Armenia: Guide (2nd ed.). Yerevan: Matit Graphic Design Studio. p. 50. ISBN 99941-0-121-8.
2. Holding, Deirdre (2014). Armenia: with Nagorno Karabagh (Bradt Travel Guides) (4th ed.). Guilford, Conn.: Globe Pequot Press. p. 176. ISBN 978-1-84162-555-3.

Bibliography

• Kiesling, Brady (June 2000). Rediscovering Armenia: An Archaeological/Touristic Gazetteer and Map Set for the Historical Monuments of Armenia (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 6 November 2021.
• Kiesling, Brady (2005), Rediscovering Armenia: Guide, Yerevan, Armenia: Matit Graphic Design Studio

External links

• Armeniapedia:Kristapori Vank Church^{[permanent dead link‍]}