Karmiravan Monastery, Medieval monastery in Martakert Province, Azerbaijan.
Karmiravan Monastery, also called Qırmızı Monastery or Saint Grigor Monastery, stands 3 km from the village of Qozlu on a high rocky site surrounded on three sides by steep slopes within forest. The complex consists of a small vaulted hall church, a narthex to the west, a chapel to the southeast, cells and remains of other buildings, all built of roughly cut local stone; only niches and the frames of doors and windows use smoothly worked stone. Flat stones bearing inscriptions are set into the church walls.
The monastery was founded in 1224 by the House of Hasan-Jalalyan and served as a center for religious education during the medieval period. The site developed into an important place of manuscript production and maintained this function across several centuries.
The monastery walls display numerous inscriptions in Armenian script that record religious texts and local events spanning several centuries. These carved messages show how monks documented their spiritual practice and preserved important moments in their community.
The monastery stands 3 km from the village of Qozlu, on a high spot surrounded on three sides by steep slopes inside forest. The last stretch is rough, unmarked ground, so sturdy footwear and a local guide are useful. Check access conditions before setting out, as the area lies close to a sensitive border zone.
The main church's construction inscription, 16 lines long, is set into the north wall; it records that in summer 673 of the Armenian calendar (1224) the brother of Hasan built the church and gave it, with an orchard planted at Chake, to his son Grigor. A second inscription of 1259 records payment to the architect, titled vardapet, of 80 dahekans.
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