THE MONASTERY OF SANAHIN

The Monastery of Sanahin is located in northern Armenia. It is one of the most remarkable ensemble monuments of Armenian architecture. It was built between the Xth to XIIIth centuries. The Armenian clergymen, who where persecuted in Byzantine Empire for dogmatic nonconformities with the Byzantine Orthodoxy during the first half of the Xth century, founded the church of the Holy Virgin. Later on, in the second half of the Xth century, they started to build around it the main cathedral of the All Savior [966], the Academy of Magistros [XIth century], the round church of St. Gregory the Illuminator [1061], the Library [1063], the porch of the Cathedral of All Savior [1185], the Great Porch or Narthex [1211], the porch of the Library [first half of XIIIth century] and the belfry [XIIIth century].