Marmashen Monastery

Marmashen Monastery in Armenia’s Shirak Province is one of the region’s most important historic monuments. Built between the 10th and 13th centuries in the province of Ayrarat, the complex contains three religious buildings. The principal church, commissioned by Prince Vahram Pahlavuni between 988 and 1029, is the largest. Constructed from red tuff, it has a domed hall with a cross-shaped exterior, arched niches and narrow windows. Its umbrella dome rests on a faceted drum, while arcading and clustered columns give the church an upward, monumental character.