Ishkhani
Encyclopedia
Ishkani or Ishkhan is a ruined medieval Armenian
, later Georgian
monastery on the territory of modern Turkey
(Artvin province
). It was one of the important spiritual centers in the Middle Ages Tayk
, later - Tao-Klarjeti
. The cathedral was built by the Armenian Catholicos Nerses III the Builder
, which himself was originally from the village of Ishkhan in Tayk, and is known as Nerses III Ishkhanetsi.
At th first half of the 8th century the church was abandoned after the Arab conquest, and Saba Ishkhneli (one of the followers of Gregory of Khandzta
) renewed it in first decade of the 9th century. As mentioned in the medieval Georgian hagiography of Gregory of Khandzta "By God's will Saba became bishop of Ishkhan, with authority over the see and the cathedral church originally built by the blessed Nerses, Catholicos of Armenia, which had been left in desolate widowhood for many years. Now it was built again by the blessed Saba with the material aid of those pious princes, and Ishkhan began to flourish perpetually and for all time." The church in its modern form was built by the Bagrat IV
in 1032.
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
, later Georgian
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
monastery on the territory of modern Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
(Artvin province
Artvin Province
Artvin Province is a province in Turkey, on the Black Sea coast in the north-eastern corner of the country, on the border with Georgia.The provincial capital is the city of Artvin.-Geography:...
). It was one of the important spiritual centers in the Middle Ages Tayk
Tayk
Tayk was a historical province of the Greater Armenia, one of its 15 ashkars . Tayk consisted of 8 cantons:* Kogh* Berdats por* Partizats por* Tchakatk* Bokha* Vokaghe* Azordats por* Arsiats por....
, later - Tao-Klarjeti
Tao-Klarjeti
Tao-Klarjeti is the term conventionally used in modern history writing to describe the historic south-western Georgian principalities, now forming part of north-eastern Turkey and divided among the provinces of Erzurum, Artvin, Ardahan and Kars...
. The cathedral was built by the Armenian Catholicos Nerses III the Builder
Nerses III the Builder
Nerses III the Builder was the Catholicos of the Armenian Apostolic Church between 641 and 661. He was originally from the village of Ishkhan in Tayk...
, which himself was originally from the village of Ishkhan in Tayk, and is known as Nerses III Ishkhanetsi.
At th first half of the 8th century the church was abandoned after the Arab conquest, and Saba Ishkhneli (one of the followers of Gregory of Khandzta
Gregory of Khandzta
Gregory of Khandzta was a prominent Georgian ecclesiastic figure and a founder and leader of numerous monastic communities in Tao-Klarjeti, historic southwest Georgia....
) renewed it in first decade of the 9th century. As mentioned in the medieval Georgian hagiography of Gregory of Khandzta "By God's will Saba became bishop of Ishkhan, with authority over the see and the cathedral church originally built by the blessed Nerses, Catholicos of Armenia, which had been left in desolate widowhood for many years. Now it was built again by the blessed Saba with the material aid of those pious princes, and Ishkhan began to flourish perpetually and for all time." The church in its modern form was built by the Bagrat IV
Bagrat IV of Georgia
Bagrat IV , of the Bagrationi dynasty, was the King of Georgia from 1027 to 1072. During his long and eventful reign, Bagrat sought to repress the great nobility and to secure Georgia's sovereignty from the Byzantine and Seljuqid empires...
in 1032.