Symphony of Stones: from Garni Gorge to Giant's Causeway

Part I: The Garni Gorge and Giant's Causeway: Two unique sites of Basalt Symphony. 

Part II: The incredible Story of the Girona Spanish Armada warship wrecked in 1588 AD near Giant's Causeway, Northern Ireland; The death of 1300 people on board and the recovery of its treasures.

Part III: The Hellenistic Garni Temple complex watching over the unique Garni Gorge near Yerevan, Armenia 

Part I: The Garni Gorge and Giant's Causeway: distant cousins but part of the same Basalt Symphony

Northern Ireland's Giant Causeway, circa 1890 AD. The scenery of course is unchanged today. One century is the equivalent of just one minute for these 50 million years old natural wonders. 40,000 columnar rocks make the Causeway one of the most amazing natural sites on earth, yet it was almost unknown until the 18th century!

The amazing fact about Northern Ireland's most popular tourist attraction is that it was almost unknown to the world and even to most Britons as late as 1730 AD.  The Giant's Causeway today is a world renowned miles long natural miracle, but the site was strangely overlooked or simply misunderstood for centuries. Very few knew about its existence just 50 miles from Belfast in the County Antrim near the village Bushmills (famous for its Irish Whiskey distillery). Even fewer people seemed to care enough to inquire about or plan a visit to the Causeway. Some had seen sketches of the site, but the sheer size and beauty of the Causeway was still under a dark blanket of ignorance.

It is believed that it was only after a talented visitor painted some realistic sketches of the site and exposed them to a wider public in Dublin, that a general interest started to grow first in Britain and slowly across the Continent. Exactly how these wonderful various polygon shaped columns remained almost unknown is an enigma in itself. More than 40,000 almost perfect natural sculptures just across the sea from Scotland or from Liverpool and yet unknown to most of Europe and the rest of the World...

The symphony of Stones, First Movement: The Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland (Photo: Fabian Belza San)


Giant's Causeway  is a natural geological wonder of volcanic basalt columns of various sizes and sheer cliffs created an estimated 50 million years ago as the area was rich in various volcanic eruptions. The molten lava from the Antrim plateau cooled and formed these wonderful columns, some reaching more than 12m in height (30ft).  They are mostly hexagonal in shape, even though squares, pentagons, heptagons, octagons and other geometrical shapes are common. The site is just breathtaking and was included in the UNESCO World Heritage site list in 1986 as a "Rare and prime example of Earth's Evolutionary History". Moreover, the discovery of the wreck of the Spanish Armada galeass warship "Girona" in the nearby sea (with a large amount of the treasures and the 1300 victims that perished aboard in 1588) made the Giant's Causeway an even more famous destination with all due Celtic mysticism. (See Girona's story below, Part II)

Symphony of Stones, Second Movement: Garni Gorge in Armenia, just east of Yerevan.


The now World famous Giant's Causeway has also a lesser known cousin in distant Armenia, around 30 km east of the Capital Yerevan. The Garni (or Karni) Gorge is almost as mystical as its Irish cousin, but sits high in the mountains and not on a seaside location. The Gorge, thes wonderful basaltic polygon columns and the vertical cliffs are almost perfect, as if made by very talented human architects and artists working with play-dough. The Garni Gorge's unique location is even more unique by the perfectly restored 1st century Hellenistic temple and palace complex of Garni sitting just above the cliffs (see Garni Temple story below, Part III). Most visitors from around the world flock to the Garni temple and the UNESCO World Heritage site Geghard monastery complex and the upper Azat valley, only 7 km to the east. Both Keghart and Garni are therefore considered part of the one and same destination in the region called Gotayk (province), but unfortunately few take the time or have the knowledge, time or desire to visit the spectacular Garni Gorge. What a loss!

Descending to the Gorge and feeling the geological miracle casually called the "Symphony of Stones" is an adventure and a very unique destination in its own right. Few natural sites can offer that much grandeur and humbling simplicity. Giant's Causeway and Garni Gorge are in fact geological distant cousins, but part of the same majestic Basalt Symphony composed by the greatest Composers of all time: Mother Nature.

Garni Gorge in Armenia: The wonderful Organ Pipe basalt hexagon and pentagon columns as seen from behind the Hellenistic temple. Timeless Magic hanging from the air and a humbling experience to all visitors. (Photo: Tobotras)

Both Garni and Giant's Causeway are believed to be millions of years old formations, 50 million by most estimates.  The origins are of course volcanic eruptions, but what made these sites very unique was the particular cooling and solidifying processes of the boiling lava, which gave these almost perfect geometric forms and absurdly beautiful hanging columns. The rocks have multiple layers and show how the lava eventually solidified, shrunk and  formed these shapes over long periods of time. Volcanic basalt is not the hardest of rocks, and therefore millions of years have also resulted in erosion and weathering, giving both these sites a very unique look. The Giant's Causeway offers a wide variety of shapes and structures and some were given different names depending their shape or the morphology. Names such as the "Giant's Gate", "The Granny", "The Chimney" and most appropriately, the "Organ" or "Organ pipes" are among the most famous. As stated, in case of Garny Gorge, a well accepted popular name for the wonderful ensemble is "Symphony of Stones".

The Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland (Photo: Mark Windsor)

Pipes of Peace: The wonderful Garni Gorge and the suspended pipe organ style mostly pentagonal and hexagonal basalt columns (photo: Grant Vahabedian)

The columnar basalts of the Garni and Giant’s causeway are not the only such sites in the world. Columnar and polygon shaped exposed basalt formation can be found in other corners of the world, such as in the Yellowstone national park or the Parana river or elsewhere in Asia. But few are as famous or accessible to the general public. In the case of Garni, the Hellenistic Temple complex and the nearby Keghart rock carved monastery make it a world class "must-see" destination anyway just a 45 minutes drive from Yerevan. Giant’s causeway can be easily reached from Belfast.


Who says Mother Nature is not a great musical composer or does not appreciate music? These supernatural natural Organ Pipes and their majestic surroundings are here to prove all doubters very wrong! 

  Nature's Organ Pipes...

Man-made Organ "Pipes of War" and "Pipes of Peace"...

Part II: Story of the Spanish Armada warship "Girona" sunk near the Giant's Causeway (1588 AD)



As stated above, one other major reason why Giant's Causeway was included in the UNESCO World Heritage site list had nothing to do with that unique site's geology. UNESCO considers the  site to also be of "outstanding cultural value" to the world because of the discovery of a Spanish military ship called the Girona (of the Spanish Armada) which was lost nearby in the aftermath of the Battle of the Gravelines in 1588. The Girona was sunk with 1300 victims aboard and loads of treasures while trying to make its way back to Spain after the disastrous campaign to invade England.

Some of the incredible treasures recovered from the Girona (Spanish Armada) wrecked in 1588 off the Giant's Causeway in North Antrim coast after the defeat of the Spanish Armada. The very precious and historical collection includes pieces ranging from bronze cannons to gold toothpicks, and from gold coins, religious medals and jewelery to leather boot soles. (Ulster museum, Northern Ireland)

The story of the Spanish Armada and the escape from the battle of Gravelines to the the North (Scotland and Ireland) was not a beautiful affair. It was one of the key naval battles in World history that shaped the Europe's balance of power thereafter. The Spanish Armada was the huge naval fleet assembled and sent under the Duke of Medina Sidonia by the catholic monarch of Spain Philippe II with the clear intention invading and conquering England, deposing his Protestant half sister in law Queen Elizabeth in favor of the Catholic cousin Mary, Queen of Scots. The other geopolitical and economical reasons of course were much more complex, but conquering or at least punishing England was the immediate goal of the Spanish Monarch. His Spanish Armada was to sail first to the Low Countries (which were under Spanish rule), join an allied army under the Duke of Parma and help suppress the anti spanish secessionist movements there. The next phase would have been to attack "protestant" England by occupying the Thames river estuary leading to London.

 The smaller English warships (left) chase the bigger, heavier and slower Spanish Armada galleons off Plymouth. The defeat of the Spanish Armada remains as the major event remembered of  Queen Elizabeth's reign: Spain, Europe's mightiest Catholic power of the time were humiliated by the "Protestant". Spain and England were at opposite sides, both  ideologically and commercially. England's support to rebellions in the Spanish-controlled Netherlands irritated Spain's empire and led to war.

 
The Vatican of course had thrown its full support behind the Spanish both morally and financially, hoping to fight these "heretic" Anglo-Saxon Protestants. The Pope and saw all these Spanish military schemes as a sort of a noble Crusade against the modern infidels. The lessons of the Crusades were hardly learned.

A seemingly magnificent fleet of 22 warships 108 militarized logistical merchant vessels was assembled and finally sailed north  from Lisbon (under Spanish occupation), through the English channel with the intention of joining forces with Alexander Farnese's (Duke of Parma) allied army, therefore orchestrating the final assault on England across the La Manche (English Channel).

The Armada was spotted early on off Plymouth, England and was gradually chased by the British Navy under the leadership of Charles Howard and Francis Drake. After initial standoffs and chases, the Spaniards finally reached Calais and anchored in a very tight defensive formation followed by the English. The ensuing battle near the town of the Gravelines, near the modern French city of Dunkirk was not decisive as such but it did enough to destabilize and disperse the Armada, initially breaking their battle ready formations.

The famous fire-ship attack by the English created panic at Gravilines did the trick. The Spanish Armada fearing for the worst, had no choice but to disperse, somehow trying to regroup and manage an organized retreat or escape back to Spanish controlled lands. This forced "withdrawal" was a total catastrophe as it had to be done in the wrong direction: The Spaniard sailed further North to the open Atlantic ocean past Scotland and Ireland instead of heading south to Spain. They had initially failed to meet Parma's forces, and now they were  facing the very heavy handed response of Mother nature in the Atlantic Ocean, trying to engineer an eventual return home sailing around the British Isles! It was a definite goodbye to any plans to attack London through the Thames river estuary and now it was a struggle to survive the hardships of being so far from the Motherland in uncharted waters for the Spanish.

Spanish ships, like most heavy warships of the day, were notoriously slow. Being so long at sea and more and more away from the Spanish territories, this fleet was bound to eventually encounter a storm. After having been defeated by the English  at Gravelines, at least twenty-three of the King of Spain’s ships “flying from the wind and their enemies,” were wrecked on the rocky coast of northwest Ireland. Fearing a Spanish alliance with the catholic Irish, orders were issued to execute Spaniards coming ashore and the English immediately hanged all they could catch. Some 6,194 of the crews were reported drowned, killed or captured. But most of the Gaelic chiefs showed hospitality to the Spaniards and helped to send as many as they could of them home, creating a bond and a debt from King Philip. Those dark haired, brown eyed Spanish sailors who elected to remain in Ireland, married Irish girls and their progeny became known as "The Black Irish."(Macdonnelloffleinster)

The return to Spain of the Armada after the initial heavy losses was always to be very difficult. The Armada suffered even heavier losses on the return odyssey than at the Gravelines battle itself. More than 65 ships were eventually destroyed and wrecked and an estimated 20,000 lost their lives as the unusually heavy storms put a tragic end to this campaign and Grand Folly. The Armada was technically undefeated on the battlefront, but was practically decimated by Mother Nature.

The warship Girona sank near the Giant's Causeway (Port na Spaniard) on the night of October 26, 1588. It was a Mediterranean style galleass, or an oared fighting ship. It was a vessel of hope for other survivors eager to make it back safely to Spain.The ship originally had a complement of 121 sailors and 186 soldiers. However, while anchored for repairs on the rudder at Killybegs, harbor, Donegal, she came across about 1000 other Spaniards, the remnants of two Armada ships that had run aground. Rather than stay in Ireland where they were in danger of being found by English soldiers on the look of for Spaniards, the galleass Girona took everybody on board and sail for then Catholic Scotland. There they could rest, repair the ship and then set sail for Spain.


With the damaged rudder fixed the Girona sailed from Killybegs to the open sea but the rudder was again damaged in extremely bad weather. With fierce winds blowing the ship towards the shore, the Spanish tried to keep her from grounding by rowing. However, on the midnight of October 28 it run aground off Lacada point, a few hundred feet west of the Giant's Causeway and sunk. Of the estimated 1300 persons on board, less than 10 survived.
Hundreds of bodies were washed ashore and some were buried on St. Cuthbert's cemetery in Dunluce not far from  the famous ruined castle, just west of Giant's Causeway.

The destruction of the galleass Girona is commemorated on the reverse side of banknotes printed by the First Trust Bank in Northern Ireland. Note the famous gold and ruby salamander recovered from the wreck in the lower right side (see also salamander picture below for more details).

The Girona had the young and brilliant soldier Don Alonso De Leiva aboard as commander, and had collected hundreds of survivors from various other Spanish wreck to make a final escape from the Northern Ireland sea back to Spain. The Girona had also collected a very considerable valuables and jewelery from the other wrecked ships. It sailed, but shortly after was blown onto the rocks and sunk near the Causeway. The 1300 people perished, and it is believed that fewer than 10 survived the tragedy. In any case, the Girona, like many other Armada warships, was doomed. It was initially designed for a maximum of 500 men and was definitely ill suited for any such expeditions and severe conditions outside the Mediterranean.

The symbol of the Girona:This beautiful salamander pendant, of gold set with rubies, reflects the grandeur of the Spanish empire. Gold and silver from the Spanish conquests in the Americas were a primary source of income for the empire. Large numbers of splendid native gold ornaments were melted down for bullion but the ideas of South American craftsmen were often retained. This may explain the fondness for jewels in the form of animals, which appeared during the 16th century. In legend, the salamander was believed to have the magical properties of being able to extinguish and to survive fire - this made it a potent good luck charm on board a wooden fighting ship, where fire was one of the greatest hazards. (photo/credit: National Museums of Northern Ireland-Ulster museum)

Of the 130 Spanish ships that set out in 1588 to invade England, over 20 of them were wrecked off the North and West coasts of Ireland. The sunken Girona's wreck was discovered almost four centuries later in 1967 in a gulf near the Causeway. A team of mostly Belgian marine archaeologists since recovered what is thought to be the most valuable and unique treasures ever found in a wreck. The very rich haul of treasures were recovered, including gold trinkets, badges, money chains and more than 1200 gold and silver coins. It was the most important valuables ever recovered from a Spanish warship. Most of these incredible treasures are now are on display in Ulster museum in Belfast.

  

The Ulster Museum owns the excavated remains of three of the Armada ships, the galleass Girona which was wrecked at Lacada Point, near the Giant's Causeway (County Antrim),  La Trinidad Valencera which ran aground in Kinnagoe Bay (County Donegal) and the Santa Maria de La Rosa which sank in Blasket Sound (County Kerry).

The Battle of Gravelines, 1588 (painting by Hilliard, Nicholas (1547-1619). The Girona was there with the invading Armada, before it was forced to head north to find a possible escape route back to Spain after the defeat on the battleground.

Map showing the route of the Armada fleet round Scotland and Ireland, by Augustine Ryther, 1588. The Girona was lost near the Giant's Causeway, in country Antrim in modern Northern Ireland (Photo: BBC British History in depth, Felipe Fernandez Armesto)

Part III: The Garni Gorge, under the watchful eyes of the Garni Temple complex

Garni (or Karni), the perfectly restored First century AD Hellenistic temple on the cliffs of the the Garni Gorge. The ruins of a 7th century church are at the foreground. The famous Gorge can be seen just behind the temple. The temple and the surrounding structures were used by successive dynasties. The pagan Godess Thetis was worshiped here.

The architectural complex of Garni was Armenia's foremost center of Hellenistic culture and the summer residence of Armenian kings. It was a fortress in the 3rd century BC and a temple was added in the 1st century AD. It is now within a village in the Kotayk district of Armenia, some 35 km southeast of Yerevan. The temple of Garni is one of the best wholly preserved Greco-roman temples in the area. It is thought to have been constructed mostly with roman money on the cliffs over the Garni gorge. The stones used in the construction of the temple is naturally the gray basalt and not white marble. Traditionally, Greek temples were made out of white marble but, here at Garni, the basalt stones were taken from a surrounding area. Basalt is a favorite of the Armenian sculptors, artisans and architects who knew very well how to cut the stones and use them in erecting temples, palaces and monuments.

It is believed that the Garni temple was first constructed as a testimony to the fact that the region had fallen under official roman rule, most probably during the reign of Emperor Trajan. The site at the edge of the cliffs of the Garni gorge made the area both very attractive and easily defensible against any attacks. The deep and famous gorge and steep mountain slopes were perfect for the defensive settings. The pagan goddess Thetis is thought to have been worshiped there both by Romans and Greeks.

The plan of Garni fortress, just. above the cliffs of the famous gorge 1.The pagan temple (picture above) 2. a seventh-century church 3. a pillared hall 4 a palace 5. a bath-house 6. The outer gate  7. The curtain wall (armenica.org)

The Garni fortress and temple complex  stands on a strategics of Garni stands on a triangular cape, which dominates the locality and juts into the river. A deep gorge and steep mountain slopes serve as a natural impregnable obstacle, and therefore the fortress wall was put up only on the side of the plain. It was put together of large square-shaped slabs of basalt placed flat on top of each other without mortar and fastened together with iron cramps sealed with lead. The whole complex is in perfect harmony with Nature (SHS.2009.sci.am).

The temple ruins were first unearthed in 1909-1911 by Academicians Marr and Smirnov. Since 1949, an archaeological group under Professor Arakelyan (Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of the Armenian Academy of Sciences) has been at work here. As a result, the ruins of a Neolithic camp, a Urartian cuneiform text of the 8th century BC carved on a dragon, and inscriptions in Greek, Aramean and Armenian provide evidence of many centuries of uninterrupted human existence. A Greek inscription carved on a huge basalt block mentions the reconstruction of a fortress by King Tirdat. Garni also has a 5th century single-nave church outside the fortress walls and a 7th century domed church, cruciform on the inside but with a multiplane exterior, directly adjacent to the pagan temple. A 9th century building here is the vaulted sepulcher of the Catholicos Mashtots. A number of buildings inside the present-day village of Garni and its environs date back to the 11th-13th centuries. (Gregorz Blachuta)

Druid or pagan like Armenian women in front of the Garni Temple (Photo: Grzegorz Blachuta)

Garni Temple and the fortress are a sure testimony to the Hellenistic period and cultural influence in the first and second century BC. The initial fortress is said to have been built by Artaxerxes II while the temple was built by the Armenian King Tiridates (Dertad) using funds provides by Rome. After Christianity was adopted as state religion, the Garni complex became a summer residence of the Armenian Royals. Eventually the beautiful Hellenistic temple and other surrounding summer palaces and bath-like structures built at over centuries were abandoned, vandalized and sacked, most notably by the Turco-Mongol conqueror Tamerlane (a.k.a. Timur Lenk, 1370-1405 AD). During my visit I even saw a very old engraved graffiti at the right hand front side of the temple. It is thought to have been written by a Persian soldier (17th century? during the Persian occupation era). The soldier tells how homesick he is and dreams about his beloved homeland while he is still on military duty in remote Garni. I regret not having taken a photo of that memorable graffiti.

The whole Garni area was also devastated by the 1679 earthquake and fell into ruins.
Fortunately, most original pieces of the temple were left on site, and the reconstruction of the Garni temple to its original grandeur was accomplished in the mid 1970’s by a team led by architect Shahinyan. The missing pieces were replaced and today the temple is fully reconstructed. The other adjacent palace, defensive walls, baths and church all still lay in ruins.


It is unknown to me if there are enough original stones (above ground or still buried) on site enabling their eventual reconstruction, even partial. I am convinced more investment in archaeological work would unearth enough stones to at least partially reconstruct adjacent original structures.

The Garni village and the very picturesque Garni bridge in the jagged and precipitous canyon of the Azat river.

The Garni Gorge is a hanging garden of magical basaltic pipes of rock just behind the Hellenistic temple complex.  (Photo: Alexander Naumov)

© Krikor Tersakian January 2010

All photo credits belong to their respective known and unknown authors.

Yerevan's best kept secret?: The Gök (Blue) Mosque

Yerevan's unique mosque is a surprisingly imposing religious complex covering more than 70,000 sq.ft of prime land in the Center of the capital. Being an Iranian mosque, it follows the Twelver Shi'ite branch of Islam, as Shi'ism was proclaimed state religion of the Persia by the Safavid Empire from the early 16th century and on. (Photo: SasunsyDavit)

The tiny Republic of Armenia never ceases to amaze and surprise the world with its vast cultural heritage and important landmarks disproportionate to its size. The landlocked country in the Caucasus in the Highlands of biblical Mount Ararat has an area of under 30,000 km.sq. with a population of around 3 million. Since the fall of the Soviet bloc in 1991 it regained its independence and now is being discovered by visitors and investors from around the Globe.

Understandably the capital Yerevan is the magnet attracting the new investments, developments and the lion's share of all the visitors who comb the country and are left amazed by the vast variety of natural beauties and the cultural heritage that the country has to offer. Yet, quite amazingly, one if the best kept secrets of Armenia's Capital Yerevan seems to evade most tourists, even many locals.

"So you stayed at the Marriott Hotel in the city center. Did you also visit the nearby Blue Mosque?", I would ask out of curiosity.

-"What mosque? There are no mosques we know of in Yerevan" is the most frequent answer I get.

Yet this big Yerevan mosque is right there, just a few hundred feet away from Armenia's "Point Zero", the epicenter of the country: the Republic square (Hanrapetutyan Hrabarag). Moreover, It is a pretty imposing and rather pleasing complex just a heartbeat away from the Opera or the Marriott. I have literally seen thousands of photographs of every relevant and irrelevant structure and site in Yerevan. Every little commemorative palque, statue, fountain, street corner is proudly photographed by the visitors, but I have never seen one photo of this proud Mosque.

No wonder people miss this unique mosque. It is right opposite the main popular produce market on the Mashdots avenue, but it is hidden almost entirely behind rather ugly apartment buildings that surround it completely (see map below).

Yerevan's unique mosque is nicknamed "Blue", surely because of the predominant color of the entrance and the exterior tiles. (Photo: SasunsyDavit)

This only surviving mosque in Yerevan is called the the Gök mosque (Blue or Sky Blue Mosque), known or Kapuyt Mezgit (Կապոյտ մզկիթ) in Armenian. It sits on an imposing 75,000 sq.ft of land, has an inner courtyard, meeting halls as well as a theological school (madrasa). The single brick and tile laden minaret towers over the complex.

The exact origins of the mosque may be little fuzzy, but it was certainly constructed to its present dimensions in around 1764 and completed within the same decade.The mosque is said to have been commissioned under the patronage of the local Governor or ruler Hussein Ali Khan. That was of course a period of yet another Persian dominion over the eastern Armenian territories after it was taken from the Ottoman Empire.  At the time Yerevan was a provincial town, probably with 20,000 inhabitants but was nonetheless influential, with the Armenian Apostolic Holy Seat at Etchmiadzin  just a short distance away. 

Yerevan and Eastern Armenia of course eventually fell under Russian influence and direct rule after 1827 and the Treaty of Turkmenchay, which gave Russia its modern zones of influence relative to Persia and Turkey of the day. This treaty came as a result of the Russo-Persian wars which resulted in crushing defeats for Iran. Turkmenchay is a town in the Azerbaijan province of modern Iran, where the defeated Persians signed and recognized the Imperial Russian dominion over the "Yerevan", "Nakhitchevan" and "Talish" Khanates (administrative provinces under the authority of a Khan). One of the the main results of the treaty was the establishment of the Arax river (Araz, Արաքս)  as the recognized boundary between Russian zone of direct influence and Iran. This is still true today, as Arax forms the actual borders between Azerbaijan and Iran and southern Armenia.

                                     (Click on photo to enlarge for details) 

Yerevan: The Persian mosque called the Gök Jamii (Blue  Mosque) can be seen as the black dot 24 in the center. Note how it is pretty much hidden by all the surrounding Apartments despite its central location. It is only one block away from the Hanraptutyun (Republic) square, the "Point Zero" of Armenia (at the center right in yellow). Marriott Yerevan, formerly "Armenia" hotel is the number 22. Next up is the Ministry of Foreign affairs.

According to some reliable sources, there were around 10 functional mosques in the Yerevan region before the arrival of the Russians. These mosques were eventually abandoned or demolished except of course the Blue Mosque. During the Soviet era, this mosque suffered the same tragic fate as most of the churches in the deeply christian tiny country of Armenia. The communists implemented extreme secular policies, forcibly closing churches and putting all religious institutions under heavy pressure. The Blue Mosque was of course no exception and was in pitiful condition as well during these communist dark ages. After the fall of the Soviet Union the mosque underwent radical and somehow controversial restoration with funding provided by the Iranian Government. Some critics argued the restorations were not truthful to the original spirit of the mosque.

The very intriguing question as to why the Yerevan Blue mosque is surrounded from all sides with apartments buildings and thus literally hidden from view except a rather modest entrance on the Mashdotz avenue?  The first logical explanation would be to assume that there was a certain bigotry or conspiracy on the part of the Armenians to ''neutralize'' the Muslim Mosque from general view. In fact the encirclement of the mosque by apartment buildings is almost complete. But it is very safe to say that there was no "foul play" involved on the part of the Christian Armenians. On the contrary, care was exercised to include the whole complex in the new block without any architectural "dissections".

Armenia's capital:  Yerevan in the shadow of the snow-capped heights of Mount Ararat, where it is said Biblical Noah's Ark landed escaping the Great Flood. Yerevan's modern urban plan is most obvious with this aerial view. The Ararat mountain with its two peaks has always been at the very center of Armenian history and identity and is sacred to its people. Today it lies in Turkey, just across the border. Alexander Tamanian drew the modern Yerevan city plans (bottom)

The simple explanation of the mosque's bizarre encirclement is that Yerevan underwent a major urban plan during the Soviet times. The city center was completely overhauled and redesigned, just the same way say Baron Haussman transformed central Paris arteries during the 19th century. Renowned architects (especially Alexander Tamanian) undertook the major task of modernizing Yerevan and the new general plan was executed (see Yerevan city map above for the modern design). Therefore the Blue mosque happened to fall in the middle of a new grid or block and was surrounded by new buildings along the new avenues. The blue Mosque was preserved.  In any case, destroying it would have been both stupid and criminal.

Yerevan's best kept secret?: The apartment buildings completely encircle the mosque and make it almost impossible for an outside passer-by to see it, even from the major Mashdots or Khorenatsi avenues. Yet this mosque is a joy to see, appreciate and pay a visit.

When I discovered this mosque while trying to find a shortcut from the Mashdotz avenue to my hotel in the mid nineties, the exterior was being repaired by at least six workers albeit with rather primitive methods and equipments. The pace of the works seemed very slow albeit continuous. The mosque is presently functional and is an important meeting point for the local tiny Muslim population and expatriate students studying in Armenian Universities.

Is the Yerevan Blue Mosque a masterpiece in Persian Shiite Islamic architecture? Not so by any stretch of imagination. However it is a historical place of worship that deserves a visit, a photo or two and all the care the Armenian people and Government can give to this unique mosque of the Capital.

The recent referendum in Switzerland imposing a ban on the construction of minarets next to the mosques was a sure indication of the needless and somehow understandable but unnecessary and often ridiculous clashes between these two great monotheistic religions: Islam and Christianity. In this late Swiss episode many protest voices were heard, but similar attitudes of intolerance and exclusion exists all around the world. In Saudi Arabia, for instance, existing churches do not even look like actual churches from the exterior. No crosses are allowed, no visible signs such as stained glasses or statues. Same story on a lesser extent in Kuwait City, where the main Church next to the Sheraton had no cross as not to insult the locals. In some of these these countries the construction and maintenance of any Christian worship place faces more hurdles than the erection of the Great Wall of China!

The landscaping around the perimeter is a disaster, yet seemingly "normal" and somehow acceptable for that part of the world. Fortunately, the "exotic" charm of this mosque is not lost. The brick minaret with staggered patterns is typical of Persian-Mesopotamian traditions.   

The Saudis, for example, have imposed a series of non surmountable pre-conditions effectively banning any church constructions. At the core of all this is their insistence that the Catholic church in particular somehow "recognize the prophet Mohamed", even though unclear in what exact capacity. Such conditions are vague and poisonous. Essential human rights and the freedom of all people to practice their  faith freely must be beyond any ridiculous restrictions from all sides. The same is true to the Muslim communities that may suffer unnecessary conditions, harassment, discrimination and exaggerated sets of rules and regulations here and there. 

In this day and age when religious intolerance is growing like a cancer both in East and West, the World deserves more positive winds of openness, goodwill and a minimum of tolerance. Armenians have had major issues with peoples acting in the name of Islam. Armenians have suffered immensely and have paid the ultimate price of abuses perpetrated against them in the name of religious correctness. This is the reason why the recent restoration and the preservation of this Blue mosque in the middle of Yerevan should serve as an example of tolerance and respect towards minorities to others. Armenian churches are crumbling both in  Turkey and even in Christian Georgia (Capital: Tbilisi), where the central government has to come clean and act responsibly towards its minorities.

In any case, it is very clear that Yerevan is a richer place with this Blue mosque than without it.

The Blue Mosque mosque complex from the back oozes Persian architectural forms, even though not in its purest forms. The finishing is rough, but functionality and cost cutting consideration obviously have prevailed. The  Yerevan mosque should not be confused with the Blue Mosque of Istanbul, the incredible "Sultanahmet" with its six minarets, an architectural masterpiece of the highest order. Another famous "Blue mosque" of course is in Tabriz (Iran) which was heavily damaged by an earthquake in 1779 and only recently mostly repaired.

Minimalistic approach: The interior of the Yerevan Blue Mosque is beautiful in its simplicity yet lacks the "wow" factor. No interior tiles or typical Islamic calligraphy in this part. The Mihrab (the niche in the wall indicating the direction of Mecca) and the Minbar (the pulpit with stairs for the Imam's sermon) are very simple and functional. The carpet has patterns marking individual worshipers allocated floor space and prayer direction.

 

 Yerevan, Armenia circa 1672, then till under Persian suzerainty until 1827. It was a provincial city. In early 20th century and during the Armenian genocide of 1915 thousands of refugees and survivors found refuge there and eventually it became the Capital of the First Republic of Armenia proclaimed in May 28, 1918. It has remained so since and today it has an estimated population of 1.2 million. 

©Krikor Tersakian, Dec. 2009

Editor's notes:  

• Note: Armenia has very rich historical monuments and can be regarded as an open air museum. Day trips from Yerevan can take the visitors to almost all destinations. Armenia was the first nation to adopt Christianity as a state religion in AD 301. Thousand year old churches, Stone crosses (Khatchkars) and other monuments are there to be discovered and awe any visitor. Since the fall of the Soviet Union it is an independent state again and an emerging democracy. Three sites in modern Armenia are included on the UNESCO World Heritage Site list, having outstanding universal value and meeting the tough selection criteria. Links to the UNESCO website:
• Monasteries of Haghpat and Sanahin
  
• Cathedral and Churches of Echmiatsin and the Archaeological Site of Zvartnots
• Monastery of Geghard and the Upper Azat Valley

Photo: Geghard or Keghart rock-carved monastery

Journey to Kiyikoy, Northern Thrace, Turkey

The Haghia Nicholas Monastery (Midye / Kiyikoy) entrance and the self appointed "resident guardian" watching the tourist traffic!

Inside the Haghia Nicolas monastery (Midye/Kiyikoy)

Getting out of the Istanbul traffic mini-hell is not an easy task. Even on a Sunday morning. The mega-city has extended tentacles spread for long miles and miles over both sides of the magnificent Bosporus strait. The road to the remote village of Demirkoy, just before Bulgarian border in the Thrace, is about 200 km.

Forty five minutes were enough to get the better of the Istanbul’s northern boundaries.
Endless brick and mortar gradually gave way to green open pastures. The Edirne (Adrianapolis) bound highway cutting the landscape into two asymmetrical shapes leaving the overcrowded old lady Constantinople behind us and promising us a leap back to Mother Nature.

Heading North to the ‘’European’’ lands of modern Turkey, is an exciting experience. The region has been known as Thrace throughout history and is the birthplace of so many kings and heroes. But the region’s most famous son is Spartacus, the slave turned hero. This area today is known as the Kirklareli province and it is pretty pleasing to the eye. Endless prairie style flat green fields form the southern part, while the majestic Istranca mountain massif is n the north, extending to Bulgaria proper.

Thrace is continually inhabited since pre historical times. The area understandably has a large concentration of ruins, sanctuaries and sacrificial altars other archaeological objects, mostly still ‘unexplored’ by archaeologists and treasure hunters. The perfectly level plains here and there are ‘punctured’ by small and obviously man made hills and mounds: A sure sign of ancient Thracian, Greek or Byzantine burial or sacred places. These mounds are mostly unexplored ancient burial sites, but modern day fortune hunters are never that far, despite the laws protecting against any treasure hunting!



The iron bearing and moss covered rocks (Demirkoy region, northern Thrace)


The villages and towns of lower Thrace are now part of the modern Turkey, but the area was mostly inhabited by Greeks as well as some Bulgarians and some Turks up to the second decade of the twentieth century. A drastic ‘population exchange’ along ethnic lines occurred in the region and most of the Greek inhabitants left, replaced by Bosnians, Albanians and other Turkic people. The current Bulgarian-Turkish border in the region to the north was established after the Balkan wars in1913, when the northern part of Istranca became part of Bulgaria (known as Strandzha). The towns we are crossing are mostly neat, functional, somehow prosperous and apparently socially liberal. The women are scarcely veiled, the inhabitants look vibrant and extrovert:

¨It is the last bastion of true secular liberalism, enjoy it while it lasts¨ murmurs Adnan, obviously not too optimistic and fearing for the worst for the region. The domino effect of the Islams waves sweeping throughout the Middle East have so far spared this region. But for how long can this last?

Our car is a sub compact, a bit noisy. Adnan is always calm and stoic behind the wheels, proud to leave overcrowded Istanbul. Heading to Demirkoy for a few days of rest and surveying the poplar and walnut plantations is more than just an occasional escape.

But behind me, my new friend Aram is not calm. He is also off to Demirkoy as well and he has lots of stories to share and issues to argue about But he is effervescent, a real Energizer bunny in a straight jacket. He is eager to get out the torturous state he is in. He is six foot six and the car is not made to match his impressive caliber.

We reach the junction town of Cerkezkoy then up next we are in Saray, a nice place to stop for a meal and give Aram’s very long legs a good rest.

The restaurant is provincial but immaculate. The food traditional cuisine: The lentil soup, the bean and chickpeas stews along with the bulgur pilaf. The ‘manda’ yogurt accompanying is very rich and full of grassy flavours. Manda is an animal of supposedly Indian origin, some sort of an Asiatic equivalent or parent of the American buffalo according to the local people. Whatever the origin of the beast, the yogurt is simply divine.

Then there is Vize, an agricultural merchant town, another ancient Greek-Thracian town. Vize the ancient Bizye, has somehow managed to preserve a close semblance to its historical name without assuming a new Turkish name like most other towns and villages of the region. Just like the nearby Black sea village of Yalikoy (Podima) and Binkilic (Istranca) or Kiyikoy (Midye).

The age old church Haghia Sophia is Vize’s most notable structure. It was re-constructed on an earlier church probably during the 8th or 9th century, and is situated on the less populated western slopes of the acropolis of this ancient Byzantine city. This pretty imposing church features a basilica style plan on the ground floor and barrel vaults supporting an imposing central dome on the gallery level. It is an architectural bridge between the basilicas of the Early Christian period and the cross-domed churches that dominate Middle Byzantine architecture from the 9th century on.

The church was recently given a face lift by the authorities and looks perfect from the outside, but it also got an unexpected gift: an ill matching Ottoman style new minaret, asserting its conversion it to a mosque. Haghia Sofia church is another addition to the long lists of turn-church- into-mosque policy after the conquest of 1453. Better turn the churches into mosques than let them decay, the logic goes. This pattern of ‘’renovations’’ converting churches to mosques is not new, of course. It has been going on for a few centuries since the initial Constantinople conquest of 1453. Adding four minarets of different brick and stone colours all around the universally treasure of Istanbul’s Haghia Sofia must have been the first but certainly not the last.


The Haghia Sofia church of Vize tranformed to a Mosque by this very ill fitting minaret. The Turkish authorities could have found a more competent architect.

We left Vize, and gradually Thracian landscape changed drastically from plains to mountainous forest. We were entering the northern Thrace, the Istranca massif, almost entirely covered by rare conifers and oak. These rare black oak forests are unique in Europe and seem to be well protected by the authorities. The fact that region is to near the Bulgarian (ex soviet bloc) border, had a positive effect in hindering any wild modern developments, preserving the traditional ambiance and landscape.

The Istranca Mountains, run parallel to the sea in north-eastern Thrace have fragrant forests, gigantic aging trees and springs of all sizes bursting from all corners. Impressive wild rhododendrons under the tree canopy make the moss covered rocks look even more mysterious. Locally called zelenka, rhododendrons are in their most natural of possible habitats. These impressive evergreen acid loving plants add a wonderful range of pastel colours to the nature when in bloom, an incredible sight.

Adnan announces that we are fast approaching the picturesque ancient village of Kiyikoy translated as ‘Coast Village’, perched on some cliffs by the azure of the Black sea. This is the ancient Greek village of Midye. Lots have obviously changed throughout the ages, but the natural beauty of the place is unscathed. The original defensive walls around the village have somehow been preserved while other parts have given way to the construction of villagers’ houses.

Kiyikoy is calm on this Sunday morning. People are dressed to impress each other and relax. The influx to the mosque seems weak, the cafés bustling with their all male patrons sipping tea and discussing politics and unfinished business. Kiyikoy is a small village, but it seems to be at the very heartbeat of the northern Istranca.

The Black sea behind may be called ‘’black’’, but it definitely appears very appealing blue to me, especially from the café perched above the cliffs. ‘Turkish’ coffee seems to be an endangered species in Istanbul, but in here it is delicious. For the first time since my arrival to Turkey, I was not offered a Nescafe upon asking for coffee!

Below us, down the cliffs there lie the small fishing boats and tons of nets. The fish is reputedly getting scarcer every year, pretty expensive as well. We visit a fisherman’s shack, but the prices seem as high as in Istanbul’s markets. Especially the famous Flat fish, locally named as Kalkan, (or shield). The asking price of about 50$ per kilo is absurd by any standard. But rarity keeps the demand (and prices) pretty high.

The fishermen understandably complain that they are being robbed by the professional fishing boats passing by the area and severely depleting any sustainable fish. The universal problem of wild and indiscriminate overfishing seems to have also arrived to these remote virgin shores of the Black sea.

But Kiyikoy’s real treasure was just a couple of miles away from the village: The Haghia Nicholas byzantine monastery of the 6th century carved in a mountain, presumably during the reign of Emperor Justinian 527-567 AD.

Posing with my imposing new friend in front of Haghia Nicholas at Kiyikoy

A dirt road from the village leads us there. The site is not very imposing but very much unexpected and refreshing. The monastery is very modest in size but its instant charm is undeniable. A local mini replica of Armenia’s ‘Keghart’ monastery: cloisters carved in the rock in a mountain, near a fertile valley with so many springs bubbling with crystalline water. Early Christian monks, from Kiyikoy Haghia Nicholas to Cappadocia to Keghart, obviously knew where to carve their cloisters.

My first impression of Haghia Nicholas was the ‘’local’’ homeless man almost blocking one of the main entrances by his presence. He stood right there as if to claim the rights to this ancient place. A little intimidating at first, but Adnan advised not to pay attention and we got through.

The site is very interesting but not well maintained over the ages, neither signs of deliberate destruction. Just a total state of ‘let go’. Litter is plentiful, and the homeless man’s sleeping quarters and tons of junk are stationed right behind the monastery’s main altar. The site of great historical and theological interest but no attention is given by the authorities, except for a plaque giving a few details about this unique monastery.

Then we are off to our final destination: the village of Demirkoy or Iron Village, for the region is famous for iron mines dating back to the Iron Age. Back to the future, perhaps?


© Krikor Tersakian 2009