The Tanaat Monastery

The Tanaat Monastery is an early medieval ecclesiastical complex located southeast of the village of Vernashen, in Armenia’s Vayots Dzor region. First mentioned in historical sources in the 8th century, it was once known as the “Red Monastery” for the color of the stone used in its construction. The site stands on what was once a pagan sanctuary dedicated to Anahit, the Armenian goddess of motherhood. A Christian church was established here in the 5th century.

The complex’s central church, Surb Stepanos, was erected between 1273 and 1279 by Prince Prosh Khaghbakyan in the later years of his life. Founder of the Proshyan dynasty and vassal of the Orbelians, Prosh was also a Mongol service officer who negotiated the surrender of the Caliph of Baghdad. The church’s polygonal drum bears two heraldic emblems: an eagle lifting a lamb in its talons and a lion grappling with a bull—symbols of lineage and power.

Architecturally, the structure is cruciform within, with sacristies tucked into each corner. From the outside, it appears as a solid rectangle. On the southern wall is carved the Proshyan family banner: an eagle clutching a ram. Nearby lies an early medieval cemetery. Tanaat remained active into the late Middle Ages and is relatively well preserved.

In the 14th century, the monastery received considerable donations—land, orchards, and money. In 1335, a donor named Ayrut commissioned the construction of a prayer room. Scattered around the grounds are khachkars and tombstones dating from the 13th to 16th centuries. In 1971, archaeological excavations revealed the foundation of a vestibule on the monastery’s southern side—possibly part of Gladzor University, the preeminent center of learning in medieval Armenia. In 1984, the churches of Saint Stepanos and Saint Nshan were restored, and the grounds around the Tanaat complex were rehabilitated.

Some scholars believe that Gladzor University once operated from the Tanaat Monastery. Founded in 1282, it was one of the most significant institutions of higher education in medieval Armenia.

The interiors of the churches are modest, yet beyond their walls lies a tangle of ruins—what many believe was the secluded campus of Gladzor University. The site’s historical weight is reinforced by the density of khachkars and inscribed stone slabs. Somewhere in this maze lie the graves of two rectors: Nerses Mshetsi and Yesayi Nchetsi.