«Visions of Azerbaijan».-2009.-№4.-S.60-69. Karabakh’s Church Architecture By Professor G.G. Mammadova The ancient land of Azerbaijan has beautiful examples of the art of con struction from many periods. Azerbaijani craftsmen enriched Eastern architecture with their priceless creations, which include the Maiden Tower in Baku, the mausoleums in Naxcivan, the mosque ensembles in Ardabil and Tabriz and the palace complexes of the Shirvan Shahs and the Shaki khans. These monuments, which represent mainly the Islamic period of architecture of Azerbaijan, are quite well known both at home and abroad. However, a considerable number of monuments remain from the time of Caucasian Albania on the territory of North Azerbaijan. CAUCASIAN ALBANIA The state of Caucasian Albania formed as a result of the unification of Albanian tribes in the 4th-3rd centuries ВС. Its territory stretched from the Caucasus Mountains to the River Araz and the Caspian Sea. The 4th-7th centuries AD were the most significant in the history of the culture of Albania. This was the period of the rise of feudalism. At the begin ning of the 4th century, Christianity became the state religion in the country. Albanian script was created in the 5th century, which promoted the development of education and literature. Initially, the town of Qabala was the capital of Caucasian Albania. In the year 551, the capital was moved to Barda, in lowland Karabakh. In the 6th-7th centuries, Albanian architecture was at its height. This peri led saw the construction of a host of prominent monuments which are still impressive today. The fortifications that especially stand out are the famous wall of Derbent, now in Russia's Dagestan, and the Zaqatala, Gilgilchay and Besbarmaq fortifications. Albanian Christian churches, of which many remain in Azerbaijan's mountainous areas, are of great archi tectural and historical interest today. Christianity started spreading in Caucasian Albania from as early as the 2nd century and, according to legend, it was here, in the 'town of Gis' (the pres ent-day village of Kish in Shaki District), that the South Caucasus's first church was built. After Christianity was endorsed as the state religion, the construction of churches acquired a larger scale. Many were built during the rule of the king of Caucasian Albania, Vachagan the Pious, in 483-510. According to the Albanian historian Musa Kalankatli (also known as Moisey or Moses Kalankatuyskiy), Vachagan the Pious 'built as many churches as there are days in a year'. Samples of the architec ture of that period reveal a wide variety of architectural styles and the high degree of craftsmanship of Albanian architects. These include the Qum (Qax District) and Agoglanchay (Lachin District) three-nave basilicas, and the Kilsadagh (Qabala District), Mamrukh (Zaqatala District), and Laki (Qax District) round, multilevel temples. The economic and cultural develop ment of Caucasian Albania was inter rupted by Arab invasion. By the year 704, Caucasian Albania had been completely conquered by the troops of the Caliphate, and the process of Islamicization started in the country. The Arabs were tolerant of Christians, which meant that part of the population of Caucasian Albania, especially in its mountainous and submontane areas, could keep their old religion. The local Albanian royal lineages began to strengthen here in the 9th century, as the power of the Arab Caliphate began to weaken. The status of these families as vassal princes enabled them to hold sway in their territory. In the 12th-13th centuries, the development of Albanian principalities reached its highest level. This period saw the ascendancy of the Khachen (Mountainous Karabakh) princes whose representative, Hasan-Jalal Dawla, managed briefly to unify Albanian principalities, and received the title of king of Albania. Christian culture and architecture, which contin ued their evolution since the 9th centu ry, reached their heyday in the 12th-13th centuries. During this period, numerous architectural monuments were created, including some beautiful churches. After the capital of Albania was moved from Qabala to Barda, the cen tre of cultural life also gradually moved further south. This is why most of the Albanian-Christian churches of the 12th-13th centuries have been pre served in the south-western part of Azerbaijan, namely in Karabakh, especially in its highland region, and adjoining areas. In the Soviet period, Azerbaijani scientists recorded and studied numer ous Albanian Christian buildings which included large monastic ensembles too. The largest of these complexes - Khudavank, the Saint Elias Monastery, Gandzasar, Khatiravank and others - are in Karabakh. KHUDAVANK MONASTERY Khudavank is the largest monastic complex in Azerbaijan. It is in the village of Vank in Kalbajar District, on the left bank of the Tartar River, on the slope of a small hill. The name of lie monastery is connected to the indent word 'Khuda', meaning 'God' and 'Khudavank' means 'abode of God'. The complex consists of buildings constructed in different historical periods. According to legend, the site of the monastery has been regarded as a shrine since ancient times. A large one nave basilica - the largest of the monastery buildings to survive - was erected here in the 6th century. In the 13th century, the monastery was renovated, and new buildings were con structed in it, with money provided by representatives of the Upper Khachen Albanian princely lineage. The main church of the complex was built in 1214 by Princess Arzu-khatun, wife of King Vakhtang-Bahram. A 19-line inscription dedicated to her as the patron of the construction can be found on the south wall of the church, which is made from clean ly hewn squares of fine stone. Arzu-khatun, cousin of the mighty Zakare and Ivan Dolgoruki, is a significant figure in 13th-century Albania and left her mark in the remarkable architectur al monuments of that time. The cathedral church in Khudavank is one of the best examples of Albanian architecture. It has perfect form and proportions, classical reserve and simplicity of decor. ST ELIAS MONASTERY The St Elias monastery is situated on one of the spurs of Mount Murovdagh. It is surrounded by high hills and deep gorges. The southern side of the monastic courtyard falls into a deep abyss at the bottom of which a tributary of the Tartar runs, Musa Kalankatli's History of the Albanians says that the monastery existed already in the 5th century during the rule of Albanian King Vachagan the Pious. The complex, built of unhewn stone, consists of a church with a narthex or vestibule, seven chapels and several rectangular buildings designed for habitation and household needs. One of the chapels houses the grave of King Vachagan III the Pious. The from of the chapel once bore an inscription, 'This is the grave of King Vachagan,' and the date of the construction of the chapel, 1286. Not far from the monastery are the ruins of the village of Divtagan which was the private property of King Vachagan and was used as a summer residence. GANDAZASAR MONASTERY The best known monument of Albanian Christian architecture is the monastic complex Gandzasar built by the Albanian King Hasan-Jalal Dawla I members of his family in the 13th century. The cathedral church of the monastery is a cruciform, domed build ing with four sanctuaries in the corners. The facades of the church are decorated with an arcade. The drum of the dome is especially richly decorated and its sculptures and carved stone fretwork are genuine works of art. KHATIRAVANK MONASTERY Khatiravank is a monastic complex located on the River Tartar below Khudavank. It is known as the vault of the lineage of the Albanian Princess Dofi. This is one more Albanian Khachen princely family. The son of the Albanian prince Qara-Grigor (Black Grigor) and Dofi - Hasan the Brave - was married to the daughter of Prince Kurd and sister of Arzu-khatun -Mamkan. Khatiravank was built in the 13th century. It consists of a temple, a belfry, residential premises, a granary, a chapel and a perimeter wall. Unlike a regular basilica, the three-nave interior of the quite large temple is asymmetric with two chapels occupying the north-east and south-east corners. ARMENIAN OCCUPATION This article has looked at only four of the large monuments of Albanian church architecture which remain on the territory of Karabakh. The history of these monasteries is closely connected with the history of Caucasian Albania from the first centuries AD to the late Middle Ages. They have preserved the memory of the first preachers of Christianity in Caucasian Albania, the eastern outskirts of the Christian world, of Albanian kings, princes and church figures, who built the magnificent architectural monuments and imprinted their names upon them. The whole his tory of Karabakh-Artsakh, the ancient Albanian-Azerbaijani region, is reflect ed in the architecture of these complex es. These monuments were built on the land of Azerbaijan by Albanian princes and architects, and are not Armenian. Nonetheless, Armenian scientists and clergy have always waged a fierce fight to detach them from the Azerbaijani architectural heritage and to appropriate them to Armenia. When the Soviet Union was disinte grating, Armenia took advantage of the unstable political situation across the USSR, and also in Azerbaijan, and start ed a war to detach Karabakh from Azerbaijan. As a result of hostilities which were conducted with Russia's help, by 1994 Armenia occupied 20 per cent of the territory of Azerbaijan including Mountainous Karabakh and seven adjoining districts of Azerbaijan, and continues to hold them to the pres ent day, despite having its actions con demned by all international organiza tions, and a UN resolution that demands an immediate vacation of the occupied territories.