St. Astvatsatsin Church, 17th-century Armenian church in Mirik village, Lachin District, Azerbaijan.
St. Astvatsatsin Church is a 17th-century Armenian church standing on a rock mass at the northern edge of Mirik village. The building features walls of rough stone, polished cruciform columns, and preserves a vaulted structure with an original cruciform baptismal font inside.
The building was constructed in 1682 by Paron Hakhnazar as a memorial to his family, with an inscription recording donations and honoring his father Sargis and brother Haykaz. During the Soviet period it served as a village club, but maintained its structural integrity through later regional conflicts.
The church displays features of Armenian religious architecture through gravestones, khachkar fragments, and carved stones built into its walls. These elements tell stories of local families and their connections to the place across generations.
The church has a single entrance on the southern side and is easily accessible from the village center. The structure is in stable condition, allowing visitors to comfortably explore the interior and architectural details.
The church was repurposed as a village club during the Soviet period, an unusual step for a religious building. Despite this conversion, the original baptismal font and other religious features remained intact, suggesting pragmatic adaptation while still respecting the place.
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