St. Astvatsatsin Monastery, 12th-century Armenian monastery in Nakhchivan, Azerbaijan
St. Astvatsatsin Monastery was an Armenian religious complex centered on a domed basilica supported by four cruciform pillars with eight windows in its cupola. A bell tower stood as part of the building ensemble on high ground near Channab village in the Ordubad district.
The monastery was built in the 12th century and underwent repairs in the 16th and 17th centuries before being completely destroyed in 2000. Satellite imagery documented the destruction of both the complex and the Armenian cemetery that stood nearby.
The monastery walls contained numerous khachkars dating from the 9th to 17th centuries and displayed Armenian inscriptions throughout its facades.
The site sat on elevated terrain roughly 3 kilometers south of Channab village in the Ordubad district. The high position offered good views over the surroundings and made it accessible from the village.
An Armenian cemetery with about 200 tombstones stood beside the site, reflecting different time periods and burial traditions. These graves were as old as or older than the religious building itself.
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