{"id":2850,"date":"2026-11-05T18:32:50","date_gmt":"2026-11-05T18:32:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/caucasusheritage.cornell.edu\/?post_type=heritage_site&p=2850"},"modified":"2026-11-05T18:34:01","modified_gmt":"2026-11-05T18:34:01","slug":"st-stepanos-cemetery","status":"publish","type":"heritage_site","link":"https:\/\/caucasusheritage.cornell.edu\/?heritage_site=st-stepanos-cemetery","title":{"rendered":"St. Stepanos Church & Cemetery"},"content":{"rendered":"

HT.106-0, HT.106-1<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n

St. Stepanos Church & Cemetery<\/h1><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n
Threatened<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n
Church<\/span>\/<\/span> Cemetery<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n
\"HT106ReportTrio\"<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n
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Before Image Date: October 12, 2025<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Impact Image Date: May 27, 2026<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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St. Stepanos Church is a rectangular vaulted hall built of rough-hewn stone. Internally, the church is divided into two unequal naves by an unusual T-shaped pillar. The inscription above the entrance of the church reads: \u201cIn the year of 1747. In memory of the head of St. Stepanos Church, which was renovated by Melik Yegan and his son Melik Yesayi. In memory of their souls\u201d. There is a khachkar embedded in the church’s western facade that has the following inscription: \u201cIn the year of 1531, I, Friar Daniel erected it.\u201d <\/p>\n

The gravestones of the cemetery surrounding the church have a range of distinct decorative motifs and some also have Armenian language inscriptions. For example, a gravestone to the northwest of the church depicts the tools and water jug of the master metallurgist, and the inscription reads \u201cMaster Yehanes, in the year of 1545.\u201d<\/p>\n

The extent of the cemetery around the church was defined by a monument certificate of the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. The area was intact throughout 2025. By May 27, 2026, earthmoving had scraped a path across the northern extent of the cemetery.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Metadata<\/h4>\n\n\n

Coordinates: 39.584775, 46.964159<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n

Impact year: 2023<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n

Mission 14<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n
CHW Monitoring <\/span>Report 09<\/a><\/div><\/div>\n\n
Site date: 12th-19th c.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n
More Information \u2192<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
\"HT.106-0PhotoA\"<\/div><\/div>\n\n
Image Metadata: n.a.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n
Photo courtesy of Monument Watch<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

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