St. Khach Monastery of Trunis (Nunis)
Location: Unus
Destruction
When historian Argam Ayvazyan documented St. Khach Monastery of Trunis during his fieldwork in Nakhchivan (1964-1987), the church was still standing, but much of the complex, including a porch, outer wall and six to seven monastic buildings, was in ruins. The monastery was eye-catching, with mountains rising precipitously just to its west and a vineyard arranged to the south. The rectangular, vaulted structure had a nave and two aisles, and an eastern apse with two vestries on either side (see plan below). Armenian inscriptions were placed in the northern, western and southern facades. 1,2 The church was destroyed sometime soon before early 2000, given the signs of earthmoving still visible in the February 25 IKONOS satellite image (swipe below, right).
Drag the swipe tool right to see St. Khach before its destruction; drag left to see the vacant plot in 2000 with visible signs of recent earthmoving.
Geolocation
The St. Khach monastery of Trunis was nestled in a gorge in the upper part of Trunis or Vanandadzor valley, on the right bank of the Trunis river. 1,2 St. Khach is marked on the 5-verst (1:210K) scale map of 1937 as an unlabeled monastery. It is also marked, with its name, on Yervand Lalayan’s map of 1906. CHW confirmed the precise location of the monastery using KH-9 Hexagon satellite imagery of 1973 and two photographs. During the Soviet period, the monastery was surrounded by farm buildings, which are visible in the site photograph and on KH-9 Hexagon imagery.
Timeline
Construction
Founded in the 12th century; renovated in 1687 according to the Armenian inscription on a cross-stone (khachkar) above the lintel of the church's doorway and the inscriptions on five khachkars set in the upper part of the south façade; 2 renovated again in 1859 according to M. Smbatian's 1870 catalog of the monasteries of Nakhichevan. 3
1906
St. Khach Monastery is marked on Yervand Lalayan's map of this date. 4
1937
St. Khach Monastery is marked on the 5-verst (1:210K) scale map of 1937 as an unlabeled monastery. 5
1973
St. Khach Monastery is visible on KH-9 Hexagon satellite imagery. 6
2000
The monastery was destroyed by February 15, 2000, as shown in the IKONOS satellite image at right. The site bears visible signs of recent earthmoving. 7
Image Gallery
Images © Argam Ayvazyan Archive, used with permission
References
1 Ayvazyan, Argam. Nakhijevani ISSH haykakan hushardzannery. Hamahavak tsutsak. Yerevan: Hayastan, 1986, p. 43-44.
2 Ayvazyan, Argam. The Historical Monuments of Nakhichevan. Transl. Krikor H. Maksoudian. Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1990, p. 48.
3 Smbatian, M. Nkaragir S. Karapeti vanits' Ernjakay, 1870, p. 489.
4 Lalayan, Yervand. Yerevanean nahangi Sharur-Daralageazi yev Nakhijevani gawarrner, 1։200,000, Tiflis: Hayots Azgagrakan Ynk., 1906.
5 Upravlenie voennykh topografov RKKA, J-10 (Ordubad), 1:210,000, 1937.
6 KH-9 Hexagon, D3C1206-100170F021, July 29, 1973.
7 Maxar Technologies & East View Geospatial, February 23, 2000.
