General view, 2014 (Coll. Zaven Sargsyan)
General view, 2004 (Private Coll.)
General view, 2014 (Coll. Zaven Sargsyan)
Northeast façade (Thierry, 2005, ph.39)
Windows in south wall (Thierry, 2005, ph.41)
Dome (Thierry, 2005, ph.40)
Plan (Thierry, 2005, 96)
The Holy Archangel [Tasbibi Kilise] monastery sits at *** N and *** E on the outskirts of an old faubourg of Gamakh [Kemah], at the foot of a cliff rising above the right bank of the western Euphrates [Firat]; it faces the town and its citadel – the former Ani fortress – both of which are on the left bank. In ancient times, Ani-Gamakh (not to be confused with Ani, the capital of Bagratid Armenia in the 10th-11th centuries) housed the pantheon of the kings of Armenia.
In all likelihood, the semi-rupestrine monastery was of Greek origin but subsequently passed to the Armenians; it is believed to have been founded prior to the 11th century. In the 19th century and at the start of the 20th, it was primarily a pilgrimage site.
The monastery is composed of a church 11 m in length partially set into the rock face, from which it extends outward 5.5 m, and of cells cut into the cliff. The church, built on a semi-free-standing plan, was surmounted by a polygonal drum partially abutting the cliff. It was embellished with paintings on plaster.
The church was left empty and today lies largely in ruins.
043
39° 36' 40" N
39° 01' 50" E
Holy Archangel monastery of Gamakh
Կամախի Սուրբ Հրեշտակապետի վանք
Monastery of the Apostle Thaddeus, or the Great Abbey