Sisavan Church

In the Vorotan River Valley, just four kilometers from the striking Shaki Waterfall, one of Zangezur’s oldest settlements—Sisian—rests on a series of terraces. In the town’s northwest stands the Church of Sisavan, a monument that dates back to the 7th century and is considered the oldest surviving church in the region.

The church follows a cross-in-square plan, elongated along the west-east axis. Shallow niches mark each of the four facades, breaking the smooth surfaces of finely cut stone. Rectangular chapels at each corner divide the outer walls in harmony with the interior structure.

What sets Sisavan apart is its dome—twelve-sided and adorned with paired half-columns joined by boldly projecting arches. A deep cornice crowns the dome, echoing the one that runs around the base drum and fragments of the surviving wall tops. The dome’s shape and the styling of the cornice, windows, and masonry indicate a construction date in the 630s CE.

Surrounding the church is an ancient rural cemetery, home to distinct types of khachkars and tombstones that are unique to this part of Zangezur.

The southern walls of Armenian churches often glow with sunlight from morning to dusk. Craftsmen used this play of light to their advantage, carving solar clocks into the stone to help the clergy keep to the strict rhythm of monastic life. These sundials, carved into smooth façades, often take the form of a half-circle with a central gnomon casting a moving shadow across the radii that mark the hours.

Some dials are etched simply with a chisel, while others take the shape of a fan in low relief. The hour lines may end in circles or small knobs, beneath which are engraved letters of the Armenian alphabet used as numerals. The upper half of the dial often carries an inscription urging prayer—a quiet command to pause and reflect as time passes across stone.