TIGRAN HONENTS CHURCH
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Historic preservation project of Tigran Honents Church (230 sqm)

Ani Archaeological Site, Kars - Turkey

Client/Funding Agency: Ministry of Culture and Tourism

June-September 2006, works completed in 2009

Project: The medieval city Ani flourished in the 10th Century when the famous trade route, known as Silk Road, moved to the North. Armenians, Georgians, Kurds and Turks ruled and contributed to the city until a disastrous earthquake in 1319. It was finally abandoned following the Mongolian invasion in 1331 together with development of new trade routes.

Tigran Honents Church (known as Painted church [or Boyalı Kilise] due its frescos), one of those rare standing monuments in Ani, was constructed in 1215 when the city was under the control of Georgians. The monastic complex built at the edge of the city was dedicated to St.Gregory the Illuminator (or Grigor Lusavorich) who introduced Christianity to the Armenians in the 4th Century. The church is unique in stone decoration, wall paints, inscriptions, and the west wall paints which reflects the story of the saint Lusarovich.

The aim of the conservation project is to prevent the ongoing decay; structurally stabilize & consolidate the monument besides architectural documentation, research and analyses. Our proposal brings various intervention phases besides design of temporary shelter for the exposed frescos, research and continuous monitoring.

Services rendered: 3D Laser Scanning-Survey, documenting, historical research, various analyses; design, working drawings, details, engineering drawings.