Ghazanchetsots Cathedral facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ghazanchetsots Cathedral |
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The cathedral in 2018, two years prior the damage in the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Armenian Apostolic Church |
| Rite | Armenian |
| Year consecrated | 20 September 1888 18 June 1998 (reconsecration) |
| Status | Damaged, conversion work ongoing according to the Azerbaijani government |
| Location | |
| Location | 19 A. Ghazanchetsots Street, Shusha, Azerbaijan |
 Location in Azerbaijan
Location in Karabakh Economic Region
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| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Simon Ter-Hakobian(ts) |
| Architectural style | Armenian |
| Groundbreaking | 1868 |
| Completed | 1887 |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 34.7 metres (114 ft) |
| Width | 23 metres (75 ft) |
| Height (max) | 35 metres (115 ft) |
The Holy Savior Cathedral (Armenian: Սուրբ Ամենափրկիչ մայր տաճար, Surb Amenap′rkich mayr tachar), often called Ghazanchetsots (Armenian: Ղազանչեցոց), is an important Armenian Apostolic church. It is located in Shusha in Azerbaijan. This cathedral is the main church for the Diocese of Artsakh of the Armenian Apostolic Church.
Standing 35 metres (115 ft) tall, Ghazanchetsots is one of the largest Armenian churches in the world. It is a famous landmark in Shusha and the Karabakh region. It is also a key symbol of Armenian culture and faith. The cathedral is listed as a cultural and historical monument in the breakaway Republic of Artsakh.
The cathedral was built between 1868 and 1887 and opened in 1888. It was damaged in March 1920 when many Armenians in the city were harmed. The church then slowly fell into disrepair during the Soviet era. During the first Nagorno-Karabakh War, Azerbaijan used the cathedral to store missiles. After this war, the cathedral was fully restored and reopened in 1998. However, it was damaged again by attacks during the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war.
In Azerbaijan, the cathedral is known as "Gazanchy" (Azerbaijani: Qazançı). Azerbaijani authorities have sometimes said it is not Armenian, calling it "Christian" or even "Russian Orthodox." Azerbaijan's plan to "renovate" the church, which included removing its cone-shaped roof, has caused worry and criticism from many groups.
Contents
Building the Cathedral
Records show that a smaller church stood on this spot as early as 1722. In the 1800s, after the Russian Empire took over the Caucasus, Shusha became one of the biggest cities in the region. It was even larger and richer than Baku or Yerevan, which are now the capitals of Azerbaijan and Armenia. Shusha was a major center for Armenian culture. In 1886, the city had about 27,000 people, with Armenians making up 57% and Tatars (now called Azerbaijanis) making up 43%.
The oldest part of the current cathedral, its bell tower, was built in 1858. The Khandamiriants family paid for its construction.
The main church building began construction in 1868 and finished in 1887. Its name, Ghazanchetsots, comes from Ghazanchi, a village in Nakhchivan. The Khandamiriants family came from this village. Also, the area of Shusha where the church is located was called Ghazanchetsots. This was because people who moved from Ghazanchi lived there.
Simon Ter-Hakobian(ts) designed the church. It was officially opened on September 20, 1888. An inscription on the church's southern entrance tells this story. It says that the church was built with money from the people of Shushi. Construction started in 1868 and finished in 1887.
Difficult Times: 1920 and Soviet Era
In March 1920, many Armenian residents of Shusha were harmed or forced to leave. The cathedral was damaged during these events and slowly fell apart. When the region came under Soviet rule, the government had policies against religion. Because of this, the church was closed in 1930. In the 1940s, it was even used to store grain.
In the 1950s, the church's dome and some of its walls were destroyed. Its stones were taken and used to build houses in the Azerbaijani part of the city. By the 1970s, the cathedral looked like it had been heavily bombed. After people pushed for it, Soviet and Azerbaijani officials allowed a restoration project to begin in the 1980s. This work started in 1981 and continued until 1988, led by Volodya Babayan. By 1987, only two of the four stone angel statues on the bell tower remained.
The First Karabakh War and Its Impact
In February 1988, the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict began. The Armenian people living in Shusha were forced to leave. Azerbaijan then used the cathedral as a place to store weapons. It was reported that the cathedral was set on fire three times between 1988 and 1991. The stone angel statues on the bell tower were removed in 1989. The church's large bronze bell was reportedly sold. Later, an Armenian officer found it in a market in Ukraine and bought it to return it to Armenia.
Before Armenian forces took Shushi, Azerbaijani forces stored hundreds of BM-21 Grad missiles inside the cathedral. They did this because the church was safe from possible Armenian attacks. Shusha was used to launch rockets at Stepanakert, the largest city in Karabakh, for several months. After Armenian forces captured the city, volunteers helped remove the wooden boxes of artillery and rocket shells from the church. The flag of Armenia was then raised on the damaged dome. At that time, the church was mostly just a stone shell. A visitor noted that its windows were gone, but the inside was in fair condition.
On August 23, 1992, Azerbaijani planes attacked the church. Luckily, no one was seriously hurt. Some believe this attack was not for military reasons but a deliberate attempt to harm Armenian heritage in Karabakh.
Restoration and Rebirth
Restoration of the cathedral began soon after Armenian forces took control. By 1997, it was said to be the only building being restored in Shushi. Volodya Babayan led the restoration work. Most of the money, $110,000, came from Andreas Roubian, an Armenian supporter from New Jersey. Tens of thousands more dollars came from Armenian communities around the world and wealthy individuals.
The cleaning and furnishing of the church were finished in May 1998. The cathedral was officially reopened on June 18, 1998. This was done by Archbishop Pargev Martirosyan. The first church service in the restored cathedral took place on July 19. The president of Nagorno-Karabakh, Arkadi Ghukasyan, and officials from Armenia attended.
Many people saw the church's rebuilding as a way to restore Armenian culture and a spiritual rebirth for the Armenian people. It became a symbol of Shushi's rebirth. In 2003, journalist Thomas de Waal wrote that it "towers, immaculate once more, above the ruined town."
On October 16, 2008, a large group wedding took place in Nagorno-Karabakh. It was sponsored by Levon Hayrapetyan, a businessman from Karabakh. About 700 couples got married that day. 500 of them married at Ghazanchetsots, and 200 at Gandzasar monastery.
On April 14, 2016, the leaders of the Armenian Church, Catholicos Karekin II and Catholicos Aram I, prayed for peace at the cathedral. This happened after deadly clashes between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces.
On April 6, 2017, Serj Tankian, the lead singer of the rock band System of a Down, sang a Christian prayer inside the cathedral.
2020 Shelling
On October 8, 2020, the cathedral was hit twice by Azerbaijan. This caused part of the roof to collapse. A Russian journalist, Yuri Kotenok, was badly hurt by the second strike. Two other people were also wounded. Human Rights Watch (HRW) said that these two attacks suggest the church was intentionally targeted. This was despite no proof that it was used for military purposes. HRW found parts of the weapon used, which showed it was a guided missile. An investigation found that the church was hit with 300 mm rockets.
Between the shelling and the capture of the town by Azerbaijan, Armenians continued to visit the church. On October 12, cellist Sevak Avanesyan played music inside the damaged church. On October 24, a couple got married there. On November 6, 2020, Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan prayed at the church.
- Reactions to the Attack
Armenia's Foreign Ministry called the attack "another crime" by Azerbaijan's leaders. They said it fit Azerbaijan's long-standing policy of "Armenophobia," which means fear or dislike of Armenians. The Armenian Apostolic Church also condemned the attack, calling it a sign of extreme religious intolerance.
Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry denied being behind the attack. Its state news agency claimed the missiles came from the Armenian side. Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev later said they needed to investigate. He suggested Armenians might have done it to blame Azerbaijan. He also said that if Azerbaijani forces did it, it was a mistake, and they don't target historical or religious sites. Aliyev later said the damage was minor and could be fixed in two weeks.
The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) was upset by the damage. They asked for religious sites to be protected during conflicts. US Ambassador Sam Brownback also expressed sadness about the damage. The attack was condemned by US Representative Frank Pallone and German MP Albert Weiler. The International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS) said the strikes were part of a "cultural genocide" by Azerbaijan. In December 2020, Hugh Williamson of Human Rights Watch asked Azerbaijan to investigate the attacks.
Under Azerbaijani Control
Azerbaijani forces took control of Shusha by November 9, 2020. A peace agreement was then signed between Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Russia. On November 14, a photo appeared online showing writing on the cathedral's wall. Armenia's Ministry of Culture said there was already proof of damage to the cathedral. The Armenian Church called this damage an act of disrespect and strongly condemned it.
After the war, the Azerbaijani government announced plans to renovate the cathedral. This project caused much discussion and criticism. Many Armenians said Azerbaijan was trying to remove the church's Armenian identity by changing its features. In May 2021, videos showed that the church's cone-shaped dome had been removed. Azerbaijani officials said they wanted to restore the church's "original" look, claiming it didn't have the dome until Armenians added it in 1992. However, old photos from over a century ago clearly show the church with its conical dome.
The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom and International Christian Concern expressed worry about the renovation plans. In June 2023, Azerbaijan's Ambassador to the Holy See said the church was "regaining its original appearance." In July 2023, President Aliyev stated that Azerbaijan does not touch Armenian historical heritage. He said the Armenian church in Shusha was protected and untouched.
Architecture and Design
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The cathedral's church is a basilica with a dome and four rounded sections. It is 34.7 m (114 ft) long and 23 m (75 ft) wide. Standing 35 m (115 ft) tall, it is one of the largest Armenian churches. Its dome, which had a metal cone-shaped roof, was 17 m (56 ft) tall. The church has three identical entrances on its west, south, and north sides. There are decorative carvings on the entrances and windows. The church's design is similar to that of Etchmiadzin Cathedral, which is Armenia's mother church. The cathedral is known for combining new building methods with old Armenian architectural styles.
Both the church and its bell tower are built from white limestone. The bell tower stands separately and has three levels. It holds two bells, with the larger one made in Tula, Russia in 1857. Four sculptures of angels blowing trumpets stand on top of the first level of the bell tower.
Why the Cathedral is Important
The Ghazanchetsots Cathedral, along with Gandzasar monastery, is a very important symbol for the Armenians of Artsakh/Karabakh. It represents their history and identity. Author Zori Balayan noted that the church was often mentioned during the start of the Karabakh movement. It has become a symbol of the city's freedom for Armenians. It is also a popular place for Armenians from Armenia and other countries to visit for religious reasons. In 2016, Catholicos Karekin II called the cathedral a symbol of the Armenian freedom movement of Artsakh. It is also seen as a reminder of the cultural and religious revival of the city in the 1800s and early 1900s.
Many old handwritten books were kept at the cathedral, with the oldest one dating back to 1612. A relic, the Right Arm of Grigoris, who was the grandson of Gregory the Illuminator, was also kept at the cathedral.
Official Recognition
The cathedral is listed as a cultural and historical monument by both the breakaway Republic of Artsakh and the Republic of Azerbaijan. In 2001, the Shusha State Historical and Architectural Reserve, which includes Ghazanchetsots Cathedral, was added to UNESCO's list of possible World Heritage Sites by Azerbaijan.
See also
In Spanish: Catedral de Ghazanchetsots para niños
