St Sargis monastic complex is located 1 km north-west of Ushi village, in Aragatsotn province of Armenia. It sites at the southern foot of the hill of which was once a settlement from the 2-1 millennia BC.
According to historical evidence, the monument dates back to the 5th-17th centuries. The monumental complex includes St Sargis church, which was built in the 5th century, and the main Catoghike church in the 13th-14th centuries. The gavit, the bell-tower, the guest-house, the economic and residental auxiliary buildings are part of the monastic complex.
St Sargis church. It is the only standing structure of the monastic complex and the first among the churches, which were named after St Sargis. According to ancient records, the church was built by Mesrop Mashtots in the 5th century, burying the relics of St Sargis, that had brought with him.
The church is a rectangular, single-nave vaulted structure with a horse-shoe like apse on the east side of the prayer hall. It is located in the northern part of the monastic complex, the only entrance is from the west. The church was renovated in the 5th, 12th-13th, 17th centuries.
St Astvatsatsin church. It is the main church of the monastic complex, it was built by Vache Vachutyan in the 13th century, adjacent to the south wall of St Sargis church. It has a rectangular base and a domed hall.
The monument stood out with magnificent decorations and numerous inscriptions. This splendor was related to the western and southern entrances. The tabernacle, on both sides of which two-storey sacristies were built, was distinguished by frescoes.The foundation walls of the bell tower and some entrance stones have been preserved. It was built in 1311 next to the western wall of St Astvatsatsin church and the gavit.
Other memorable structures of the monumental-complex are economic, residental and auxiliary buildings built by Voskan Vardapet Yerevanci in the 17th-18th centuries, the guest-house was built in 1654-1662.
The main literature
- Babayan Frina, St Sargis church of Ushi village, Yerevan 2005.
- Christian Armenia encyclopedia, Yerevan 2002.
- Consevation of ruined monuments, 16-24x/2002 Yerevan-Byurakan.
