The vast complex was built on a natural plateau above a deep valley through which the river Vorotan flows. The large irregular enclosure is virtually inaccessible having three built sides that overhang the river gorge with its precipitous rocky slopes, and the fourth side, towards north, fortified with walls and towers with the precise scope of defence against foreign invasions.

The geographical advantageous location favoured the construction of a formidable defensive complex. The Tatev ensemble fits in perfectly with the mountains landscape around it. As the monastery is surrounded with fortified walls and towers, a full view of all the buildings from the outside is blocked out, and only the higher parts of the churches can be seen. But as soon as we enter the courtyard we find ourselves in front of the sight of the entire monastery in all its imposing grandeur.

In the North-East angle of the enclosure there is the entrance to the monastery which leads into the main courtyard surrounded by all the monastery buildings and dominated by the church of Sts. Peter and Paul (Surp Poghos - Petros), the architectural and artistic centre of the ensemble. The residential and service premises, arranged in a single row along the perimeter, set off the polyhedral rock foundation and seem to be an extension of it. A second smaller courtyard was once reached only through a passage on the East side of the eastern church, a space closed in on both sides but open above, forming a kind of corridor created by the church and the cells of the adjacent living-quarters. On the western side the courtyard was closed in by the gavit, now totally destroyed.

Legend has it that the monastic complex of Tatev was named after St. Eustathius, a disciple of the Apostle Thaddeus who evangelized Armenia. It purports that it was built on the remains of a pagan tabernacle, while archival materials mention that a small church frequented by pilgrims, existed on the premises in the 5th century. The oldest documentation pertaining to the monastery dates from the 9th century whereby the property transaction from Philip prince of Syunik to David, Bishop of Syunik, is recorded at which time the bishopric of Syunik was transferred to Tatev. From that time onwards and through to the 18th century the area of the monastic complex saw the edification of a number of religious, clerical and secular buildings. The impregnable and strategic location of the monastery, dramatically overhanging the Vorotan river, gave it significant historical value throughout the centuries as it was the stronghold of the Syunik princes. In the 1920s Garegin Nezhde, patriot, poet and military figure resided at the monastery from where he planned and successfully carried out the defense of Syunik that proved to be pivotal to the very existence of Armenia as we know it today.

Built at the edge of a sheer rock face and virtually inaccessible on three sides, the northern part of the complex is fortified by ramparts harmoniously integrating it in the landscape. One of the unique features of the monastery is the Church of the Holy Virgin, 1087 (Sourp Astvatsadzin), which is built on the rampart and accessed by a steep flight of steps from within the complex. The monumental Church of St Paul and St. Peter (Sourp Poghos Petros), 895/906 is the focal point of the complex and, as the main cathedral of Syunik principality, great care was given to its spatial conceptualization as well as to its interior and exterior decoration. Commissioned in 930, polychrome frescoes depicting Christ in Majesty in the apse and scenes from the Nativity and Doomsday on each side of the nave have unfortunately suffered from the assault of time and are scarcely visible today. The celebrated "Gavazan", a column dedicated to the Holy Trinity in 906 was engineered to swing at the touch of a hand has withstood several earthquakes unscathed and remains unexplained to this day. Other religious buildings include the Church of St. Gregory the Illuminator (Sourp Grigor Lusavoritch) thrice rebuilt, between 836 and 1295 and attributed to the famous architect Momik (12??/12??) by some scholars; and the Chapel of Grigor Tatevatsi the 14th century rector of Tatev University.

The architecture of the monastery of Tatev

Click here to have a description of the buidings of the Tatev monastery complex