Ghazanchetsots

St. Savior Ghazanchetsots Cathedral (Surb Amenaprkich Ghazanchetsots) is located in the center of Shushi city of NKR. St. Savior Cathedral is the pride of Shushi city. This monumental construction is harmoniously combined with the environment.

Chazanchetsots was built in 1868-1887 on the place of a small single-nave church by means of inhabitants, emigrated to Shushi from Chazanchi (Shahkert) village of Nakhichevan; by architect Simeon Ter-Hakobyan’s project. The Cathedral was consecrated in 1888, on 20th of September. St. Savoir Chazanchetsots Cathedral, built of smooth cream limestone, is one of the most prominent Armenian churches (length: 35 m, width: 23m, height: 35m).

The Cathedral is situated not only on a high plateau, but over great Karkar gorge. The dome, slender drum of which makes the whole construction look glanderous and elegant, is particularly impressive.

Ghazanchetsots is one of the most prominent places of worship in Armenia, which clearly reflects the genius of Armenian builder. The composition of the externally cross-domed church, based on four pillars, is similar to the Holy See of Echmiadzin. Some time the Right Hand of st. Gregory was kept here.

One of the basements is popular with mysterious phenomena. This is just a semispherical room, though it has interesting acoustic properties. When a person stands under the groove, made on the ceiling, his/her voice becomes unbelievably loud; a person standing in a meter of him/her hears ordinary sound. If two people stand on the diametrically opposite points, the one hears even whispers of the other, whereas others do not hear anything at all.

The Cathedral functioned up to 1930; it was partially restored in 1981-1988 by Master V. Babayan’s efforts. In 1988, after expulsion of Armenians from Shushi, Azerbaijanis destroyed sculptures of angels, and the Cathedral was turned into an armory. After liberation of Shushi on the 8th of May, 1992, the restoration of the church and belfry was continued and finished in 1998. St. Savior Chazanchetsots Cathedral (Surb Amenaprkich Chazanchetsots)was reopened and officially consecrated on the 19th of July, 1998, on the transfiguration of the Lord Day.