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Kecharis

The monastery of Kecharis or Kecharuyk is located in the city of Tsahkadzor of the Kotayk Marz (region). The monastery was founded in the 11th century by the count Grigor Magistros Pahlavuni. And the construction was completed in the 13th century. In the 12th-13th centuries Kecharis was one of the largest cultural and spiritual centers of the medieval Armenia. There are two versions of the etymology of the name Kecharis: firstly name Kecharis is connected with a tree "birch" (in Armenian Kechi), as well as with the word "school" (in Armenian Kachar), as during the pre-Christian times of Armenia there was a temple of Tyr - the god protector of knowledge and science (Armenian mythology) in the place of the church. The complex includes four churches, a gavit (narthex), two chapels and a cemetery. The first and the main church of Kecharis is the church of St. Gregory the Illuminator (Grigor Lusavorich). According to the inscription, which has been preserved above the southern entrance, the church was built in 1033. Later, a number of historians suggested that the church had been built before 1013, when the Armenian King Gagik I Bagratuni and the Catholicos Sarkis I Sevaneci were still alive, about whom there was mentioned in the inscription. It belongs to the type of four-column chapels, which have vestries in the eastern corners. The external architecture is simply designed. Scarce resources were used in decoration: the narrow windows of the facades are bordered by vaults; there is a solar clock and a framed grand entrance on the western side. The basis of the dome is ornamented. The porch of the Church of St. Gregory the Illuminator (Grigor Lusavorich) was built in 1196-1206. The dome of the church was destroyed in 1828 by the earthquake. To the south of the main church is located the domed church of St. Mark (Surb Nshan). The Saint Mark’s (Surb Nshan) church is located to the south-east of the main church. It has no the exact dating. According to the historical chronicles, this church was also built by Grigor Magistros Pahlavuni. Between the two churches the mausoleum-chapels were located, but only the east wall of it, decorated with the fresco khachkars (cross-stone). The church of St. Kathoghike, which is located to the south of the church of St. Mark (Surb Nshan), was built in 1214 by the architect Vetsik, by the order of the count Vasak Khaghbakyana. The single church of the St. Haroutyun is located to the south-west of the main group of monuments and was built in 1220. This low-dimensional church is unique by its style of building and consists of the entrance hall of the western side and the sanctuary with the semi-circular apse. One of the many cross-stones in the territory of the monastery perpetuates the memory of the architect Vetsik. In the territory of the monastery of Kecharis are buried the count Grigor Apiratyan Pahlavuni (1099), Prosh Khaghbakyan (1284), perished in a battle against the Seljuks. In 2000 Kecharis church was again consecrated and now the St. Gregory the Illuminator (Grigor Lusvorich) church of the monastery serves as the Kotayk Diocese pri-residence.