Ashtarak is a large town stretched out on the banks of the Kasakh River 20-km northwest of Yerevan. There are industrial enterprises, vine processing departments, a textile factory, institutes of physics investigations, radio-physics and electronic/information technology firms, a number of cultural-instructive establishments, including the Persh Proshyan house-museum of Armenian literature. Many remarkable men of science, literature, social-political life were born in Ashtarak: N. Ashtaraketsi, S. Shahaziz, P. Proshyan, G. Karapetyan, N. Sasakyan, G. Emin, V. Petrossyan, and others.
The great number of historical-architectural monuments in its territory evidence Ashtarak’s rich historical past eloquently.
One of the most ancient monument is the church Tsiranavor (V c) situated at the very edge of Kasakh’s ravine. It’s a three-nave hall with dimensions of 19,15 x 9,40 m. The walls, the eastern wing, the half-cylindrical floor of southern nave survived (the church was partially restored in 1963-1964). In order to defend the church, a second wall surrounding the church was built in XVII c from northern and western sides, and above the southern wall a gun-slot was erected.
In both sides of the horse-shoe-shaped apses you will find square shaped side-chapels. The naves have half-cylindrical vaulted floors, taken under separate roofs (with tall middle part). Two entries from south and west lead to the church. There are two windows divided by a pillar in the west wall. The remainders of two joining to the northern wall pilasters of rectangle section (which are a little off from the transversal axis of pylons of T-shaped form) evidence about the reconstruction of the church- the original wooden floor was replaced by a vaulted one.
Ashtarak (15813 v., “Tower”) is the administrative capital of Aragatsotn, spread out in and above the gorge of the Kasagh river. The city is endowed with old churches, interesting museums, and some ambitious restaurant/hotel/casino complexes suitable for lengthy carouses. From the highway, a left exit before the massive half-finished bridge winds down into Ashtarak, crossing via the lower bridge downstream. Turning right and continuing about 1 km, turn right again just after the main square to reach the Tsiranavor, Spitakavor, and Karmravor S. Astvatsatsin churches, the House Museum of the novelist Perch Proshian, and a view of the old bridge of 1664. S. Mariane church of 1281 is further W. It is marred by an unfinished early 20th c. basilica tacked on. On the right bank of the gorge above the medieval bridge is the new church of S. Sargis on early foundations. [Paragraph Source: Rediscover Armenia Guide]
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