Surb Nshan Church

Foundation of Haghpat Monastery

The main and first structure of the Haghpat monastic complex is the Surb Nshan Church (Holy Sign Church). With the support of King Ashot III the Merciful of Armenia, his wife, Queen Khosrovanuysh, initiated the construction of the church. Construction began in 976 and lasted 15 years. The works were overseen by the monastery’s founder, Father Simeon, and his assistant Tiranun.

The queen dedicated the church for the longevity of her sons, Smbat and Gurgen. Smbat was King of Bagratuni Armenia, known as Smbat II the Conqueror, and Gurgen was the king of the Lori Armenian Kingdom, founder of the Kyurikian royal dynasty. High reliefs of both kings are carved on the eastern exterior wall of Surb Nshan Church. They are depicted standing opposite each other, holding a miniature model of the church.

Architectural Description

Surb Nshan Church of Haghpat is an exceptional example of medieval Armenian architecture. It was designed by the renowned architect Trdat. Externally, it is square; inside, it has a cruciform hall, over which rises a round drum and a wide dome. The building is constructed of finely hewn bluish-black basalt.

Each side of the exterior walls has two large niches that both lighten and strengthen the walls and enhance the beauty of the building. There are no columns inside. The dome rests on powerful semi-columns at the four corners and arches connecting them.

In the western corners, there are two-story chapels, the upper floor open, while the entrances to the eastern chapels are deep, each with a single window.

Previously, most of the interior walls were covered with high-quality frescoes. Today, only those on the back of the altar and the southern wall are well preserved. The church is adorned inside and out with decorative motifs and Armenian inscriptions telling various episodes of the monastery’s history.

The church has two entrances: the main one on the western side opens into the large gavit, and a smaller one on the northern side. Both are adorned with decorative columns and connected at the top by an arch. Decorative windows in the walls and drum allow sunlight to penetrate.

Surb Nshan Relic — The Cross of Christ

The church takes its name from the Surb Nshan relic, a fragment of the Cross of Jesus Christ brought to Armenia by Saint Hripsime in the 3rd century. From 653, it was kept in the Bagratuni ministerial house and in 967 was donated to Surb Nshan Church of Haghpat.

The relic was stored in a specially made niche in the church wall. During enemy attacks, it was transferred to Kayanberd Fortress and placed in a niche on the right side of Dsevank Church’s altar.

In 1975, during the capture of Haghpat by the Shah of Qajar Persia, Aga Mohammad Khan Qajar, the Surb Nshan relic disappeared. In 1797, it was obtained from the Russian Church by the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church’s Russian-Armenian diocese, Archbishop Hovsep Argutyan. The relic, placed in a precious metal reliquary, was returned to Haghpat Monastery.

In the early 1920s, Deacon Petros took the relic to Tbilisi. The reliquary remained there until 1941, then it was moved to the History Museum of Armenia.

In 2007, an Armenian woman living in Tbilisi visited Haghpat Monastery and handed over the Surb Nshan relic, explaining she was the granddaughter of the last deacon. After the monastery’s closure, her grandfather had moved the relic to Tbilisi and instructed the family to return it to the church once it reopened.

Decorations and Donations

In ancient times, the church was decorated with numerous valuable and beautiful items. Among them was the altar curtain donated by the wife of Prince Vakhtang of Haterk in Artsakh, which was used by her daughters and decorated with icons and floral ornaments.