Agarak monastery
Destroyed Armenian monastic complex of a few churches in Iĝdir province of modern Turkey.
| Monastery of Agarak Ագարակի վանք | |
|---|---|
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Armenian Apostolic Church |
| District | Iĝdir province |
| Region | Armenian upland |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Destroyed by Turks in 1922 |
| Status | Ceased functioning as a monastery in 1920 |
| Location | |
| Location |  |
| State | Turkey |
  Shown within Turkey | |
| Geographic coordinates | 40.0833°N 43.4326°E |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Nerses Shinarar |
| Type | Armenian church |
| Style | Armenian |
| Completed | 650 A.D. |
Word formation
Monastery of Agarak was named by its settlement's name. Name Agarak is a historical name of the Egrek settlement in Iĝdir province of modern Turkey. Agarak (Armenian: Ագարակ) in Armenian for farm.
History
The monastery of Agarak was founded by Nerses Shinarar catholicos of Armenia sometime between 649-653 A.D. Agarak situated in the Jakatk' district of Historical Armenia's Ayrarat province that in 1918-1920 was attached to Surmari (acronym of words Saint Mary) district of Republic of Armenia in the 1920.
Current condition
The monastery today is a completely ruined structure in the village of Ekrek in Iĝdir province of Turkey.
Appearance
The monastery had a few churches and many well carved khachkar-monuments (cross-stones) nearby. Main church was named as Sourb Stephanos (Armenian: Սուրբ Ստեփանոս) (Saint Stephanus). Cross-domed church's roof had been tiled, and dome's top was made of a spherical stone crowned with a cross. Many architectural fragments had been found around the churches, including remains of a medieval stele with a statue of a woman holding a model of a basilica-church in her arms.