The Tanade monastery is the medieval Armenian religious and cultural center located in the Vayots Dzor district, 7kms to south-east of the Vernashen village. It has been mentioned by historians since the 8th century. The construction of the monastery’s main church St.Stepanos (1273-1279) was sponsored by Proshyan’s. The church has a vaulted composition, a rectangular scheme from the outside, and from the inside - cruciform, with side-chapels from the four sides. The church is rich with inscriptions and sculptures. On the southern wall there is a sculpture of Proshyan’s symbolic eagle with a lamb in his claws.
To the north there is a a chapel dating back to the 13th century. Notable is entrance’s barelief depicting a hunting scene. After the excavation works were completed in 1970, at the southern portion of the monastery, a church, civic halls, numerous grave-tombs and a bell-tower were discovered. Supposedly in this newly discovered buildings the Gladzor University was located.
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In ancient times the Spitakavor, the Arkazi’s St.Khach and the Tanade monasteries were communicating by fire light signals.
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