monastery armenian known names armenian monastery historic province northwest present day eastern turkey translates holy precursor refers john baptist remains believed stored site early fourth century monastery subsequently served stronghold house claimed holy warriors john baptist patron saint expanded renovated times later centuries 20th century large fort like enclosure historically monastery religious center prominent pilgrimage site considered important monastery turkish western armenia second important armenian monasteries 12th century monastery seat diocese armenian population early 20th century attracted pilgrims occasions annually host large celebrations monastery burned robbed armenian genocide later abandoned stones local building purposes names history monastery known names common names meaning monastery father superior spelled classical spelling reformed spelling western armenian location called classical spelling reformed translating monastery springs turkish sources refer turkish church bell towers meaning church bells village located provide version armenian turkish sources travel guides generally fact armenian monastery history foundation middle ages according tradition site founded early fourth century went spread christianity following conversion king iii armenia time hindu temples brass statues established indian princes dedicated gods site razed ground erected house remains brought according sources pagan temples dedicated suggests armenia qualities pagan god passed john baptist folk belief held demons kept underneath monastery released second coming suggested foundation monastery probably connected rise monastic movement archbishop father superior mentioned author history work generally attributed unknown scholars convinced work original composition later period post eighth century written deliberate main purpose asserting monastery relatively short historical romance tells story members house son son known patron saint defended monastery churches district sixth century chronicler served father superior best remembered armenian calendar monastery possessions expanded seventh century building reduced ruins earthquake century subsequently rebuilt chapel founded late ninth century following establishment school founded monastery 11th century built palace monastery destroyed fire church wooden roof following death monastery attacked muslims killed monks abandoned monastery year modern period century chapel built according 17th century traveler leadership monastery large gifts turkish order secure monastic properties 16th 18th centuries monastery sheltered fleeing ottoman persian wars church destroyed persian troops 18th century earthquakes hit monastery especially devastating destroyed main church bell tower southern wall monastic complex underwent complete reconstruction square chamber placed church axis destined civil religious use enlarged renovation carried monks cells sections 19th century gangs seized robbed monastery destroying furniture manuscripts monastery prospered beginning father superior simultaneously sought reform way donations handled establishing council finance community projects money went monks affluent region offered fierce opposition including attempts life year founded largely secular school monastery called singer writer studied april june published journal monastery written modern armenian rendered easily ordinary people journal sought raise national consciousness edited total issues published left monastery armenian patriarch constantinople monastery according french travelers possessed large areas land took hours end estate covered forests fields farms thousand goats sheep cattle horses taken care servants founded monastery housed school children library according british traveler visited monastery presence threat suspicions turkish government monastery stripped glamour monks little better prisoners state monastery robbed early 20th century monastery structure deteriorating decline continued start world war destruction current state armenian genocide monastery housed large number escaping turkish forces resisted months according contemporary reports thousand near wall monastery monastery sacked robbed according american missionaries turks slaughtered thousand men women children gathered courtyard monastery command german officer russian troops armenian volunteers temporarily took control area transferred manuscripts 18th century right hand john baptist silver area recaptured turks subsequently ceased exist spiritual center architectural monument remained abandoned 1960s families settled site buildings village include stones monastery cross stones embedded walls remaining stones systematically carried local building purposes according historian traces chambers chapel remain rest monastery remains consist foundations ruined walls reconstruction efforts president culture batman van formal appeal interior requesting reconstruction monastery removal houses location stated according treaty turkish government obliged preserve religious institutions structures religious minorities including armenian community added letter government agencies promised clean site months architecture monastery surrounded strong walls similar fortress called vast walled lynch visited described monastery follows walled enclosure like fortress massive door impression lonely enter court face handsome porch façade white marble decade earlier english traveler wrote monastery buildings stone massive irregular rising angles hardly architecture picturesque appearance characteristic greek monasteries structure monastery complex composed main church dedicated east holy mother god holy precursor saint george main church typical armenian church large hall believed originally functioned chamber built gray stones supported columns high cylindrical drums conical roofs chapel provided monks feast storey bell tower built 18th century monk cells accommodations pilgrims 19th century building monastic school cultural significance monastery historically religious center 12th century monastery seat diocese armenian population circa considered largest eminent shrine western turkish armenia second important armenian monastery remained prominent pilgrimage site world war people corner armenia monastery usually held festivities monastery yard considered believers renowned perceived ability heal physically mentally ill monastery popularly known sultan literally translating sultan epithet sultan bestowed reference high status lord master monastery housed tombs princes shrine served abbey according lynch tombs wolf found near southern wall monastery annual events monastery center large annual celebrations secular events took place surroundings horse races walking competitions festivals assumption mary horse racing competitions held involved large number people walking widely practiced historically related worship monastery tradition monastery traditional pilgrimage site armenian folk musicians compared mount greece home prominent 18th century recorded trip monastery seek divine grace cultural references numerous songs dedicated monastery novel mentions monastery describes perceived describes monastery poem morning seven thousand line long poem bell tower mentions monastery known bells poem published dedicated intellectuals deported april genocide recognized powerful literary responses armenian genocide historical novel published describes winter scene monastery october discussion bill formally recognize opposition ended speech saying let guided silver cross august armenian style silver cross attributed seller appeared russian auction website valued said trying verify details news reports auction art historian noted seller provide information added delicate silver work known
Surb Karapet Monastery