Okonavank, Church building in Yenokavan, Armenia.
Okonavank is a three-nave basilica measuring 11 by 7 metres, built in 1863 in Yenokavan, in the upper part of the Khachaghbyur gorge. Inside, smooth-cut columns support arches that connect to the roof, and side chambers flank the altar. The church is built of rough-hewn stone blocks, with its entrance on the west side and khachkars standing to the left and right of the door.
Okonavank was built in 1863 in Yenokavan, in the upper part of the Khachaghbyur gorge in Tavush Province. Little information about the church has survived, and the sources record no earlier construction phase. A winged khachkar in front of the church is dated to the 12th–13th centuries, older than the building itself.
The name Okonavank is also recorded as Okonakhach Church, linking it to the khachkar, or carved stone cross, that stands in front of the building and dates from the 12th or 13th century. The church was built in 1863, and a cemetery from the 19th and 20th centuries lies a short distance from the main church.
Okonavank stands in the upper part of Khachaghbyur gorge in Yenokavan, Tavush Province. The entrance is on the western side, flanked by two khachkars, and a 19th–20th-century cemetery lies a short distance from the main church. The site is reached through the village; the terrain is uneven, so sturdy footwear helps.
A winged khachkar in front of the church is dated to the 12th or 13th century, centuries older than the 1863 building. A cemetery of the 19th and 20th centuries lies a short distance from the main church.
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