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The Armenian
Bell Tower, the XV-XVI �entury. Preservation Number #750/1 | Foto
1 Virmens'ka St.
In 1062,
the Armenians, which had taken part in the campaigns of the Russian princes
against the Polovtsi, settled in ��myanets'-Podil's'kyi and other towns of Rus'.
The documents testify, that in the XIV century, there was large Armenian community
in Kamyanets'-Podil's'kyi.
The main occupation of the Armenians was trade and handycraft. Their jewelry,
decorated weapons and clothers were very famous. There was a trade route to
the Crimea, Kafa and further to the East through ��myanets'-Podil's'kyi from
L'viv. That is why it was possible to meet merchants from different countries
of the world in the Armenian market.
Not far from this market, a stone Armenian Church was
built in the �V century, �nd the next century a Bell Tower was built separately.
Like Sutkovets'ka Church of Yarmolynets'kyi Rayon, it supposed to be defensive
installation.
The Armenian Bell Tower, well of the XVII �entury, firm of the XVIII �entury,
that have remained till today, testify to high level of culture of the Armenian
people at that time. In 1956, the Bell Tower entered the register of the monuments
of architecture of the republican value.
������� �., ������� �. ����������� �������. - ����:�������, 1968
Armenian Bell Towers
The Bell Tower of the Armenian Cathedral in Kamyanets'-Podil's'kyi is considered
to be the architectural dominant of the Armenian blocks of the city. The five-storied
building may be seen from all the sides while approaching it. According to the
archive and literal sources, it was built at the end of the XV - at the beginning
of the XVI centuries by the Armenian colonists of Kamyanets' in the Renaissance
Style.
During the Turkish occupation in 1672-1699, the Armenian Church has been ruined
a lot. It is possible, that the Bell Tower was not ruined to such extend. That
is why, in 1700, a chapel of the Saint Stephan was made in it. In the XIX century,
there were two bells on it - the small one, of 1701, and large, of 1722. To
the opinion of the specialists, it is one of the most interesting Armenian monuments
of the city, in which different architectural methods and high level of the
artistic design are combined. Unfortunately, a lot of them are ruined by time
and we know about these monuments only from the written sources. The Armenian
Bell Tower is among few, that remained to present.
Laconic by its shape, building of the bell tower fits in the building up of
the city with its numerous monuments of architecture. The Tower has a special
look because of the pyramidal hipped roof with four little towers on corners,
and small semispherical domes. There are two loopholes in every tower. Even
while building the religious buildings, architects of Kamyanets' could not forget
about defense of the city. The shingle roofing harmonizes with a severe architecture
of the Tower. The Armenian monuments of the city is always in the field of vision
of the researches. In 1958, the restoration of the Bell Tower was made. In 1978,
it was studied by the experts from Kyiv. The researches managed to reveal the
analogical architectural elements of this building with the Amenapkrich Church
in Sanayin. But, the consequences of the research of the first floor of the
Bell Tower are the most interesting. The remnants of the painting, done in red
and ochre colours were revealed on the southern and northern walls of the building.
According to the character and style technique, the revealed painting may be
dated by the period not later than the XVIII century. The restoration was carried
out by the group of restorers from the Kyiv restoration workshop under the direction
of Arkadiy Yosypovych Marampol's'kyi. This year restoration of the painting
will be completed. According to the plan of passing of the objects of the Reserve
the exposition "The Armenian and Ukrainian" is planning to be exhibited.
Translated
by Yana Anufriyeva
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