Restoration work of the medieval monastery Dadivank

Dadivank monastery 9th-13th century

Until the end of the summer of 2017, restoration work will be completed in the territory of the medieval Dadivank monastery in Nagorno-Karabakh (the Armenian self-name is Artsakh), the Artsakh public broadcaster reports. Restoration work on the territory of the monastery began in 2004, but was interrupted several times. Today, according to the spiritual pastor of the Shahumyan region of Artsakh, Priest Hovhannes Hovhannisyan, most of the restoration work has been done. The road leading to the monastic complex, which is located in a wooded mountainous area, has been repaired. Every Saturday, in addition to restoration work, the complex organizes voluntary work, which involved local residents. Basically, they are involved in the work to clean up the accumulated mud after heavy floods and construction debris. Was previously restored three of the four chapels of the monastery, the dome of the main Church of the Holy virgin, restored frescoes. Restorers and archaeologists supervise all the works. One of the workers, Mkhitar Abrahamyan, talking about the specifics of the restoration work in the mountainous area, noted that for the restoration of the fourth chapel of the monastery complex, which is located on the top of the high ledge, the construction material has to be delivered by horses, since the machinery is not able to climb there. “We load horses three or four times a day and climb the ledge. Soon and there will be completed work, “- he said. Private patrons provide money for restoration work and improvement of roads. Priest Hovhannisyan also said that after the road repair to the monastery, the number of tourists increased noticeably. The Dadivank monastery (9th-13th centuries) also calls Khutavankom, which literally means “monastery on a hill” in Armenian from the local Artsakh dialect of Armenian. It is located at an altitude of 1100 meters above sea level, on the left bank of the Tartar River, and is considered one of the largest architectural complexes of medieval Armenia. According to the legend, the disciple of the Apostle Thaddeus, Dadi, who preached Christianity in Armenia, was buried here.