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Tsiranavor Church
Ծիրանավոր Եկեղեցի
Tsiranavor Church; Ծիրանավոր Եկեղեցի
	Tsiranavor Church;
Basic information
Location	Ashtarak, Aragatsotn Province,; Armenia
Geographic coordinates	40°17′59″N 44°21′56″E / 40.299628°N 44.365417°ECoordinates: 40°17′59″N 44°21′56″E / 40.299628°N 44.365417°E
Affiliation	Armenian Apostolic Church
Architectural description
Architectural type	Small cruciform central-plan
Architectural style	Armenian
Year completed	13th to 14th centuries
Specifications
	; Shown within Armenia

The church of Tsiranavor (Armenian: Ծիրանավոր Եկեղեցի; meaning "apricotish") is located at the edge of a gorge in the town of Ashtarak in the Aragatsotn province of Armenia. It may be seen across the gorge from the church of Surb Sarkis, but is easiest reached via the streets of the neighborhood that it sits within. Very close (down the street 3 houses) and also sitting along the gorge is the church of Spitakavor (literally meaning whitish because of its color), built between the 5th-6th centuries. (Note: Some confusion about the name of the churches of Spitakavor and Tsiranavor has seemed to have occurred due to the misplacement of the Russian markers located inside the two structures. Anyone that lives in the city around the area will tell you that Spitakavor is the white church, and Tsiranavor is the apricot colored church.) Nearby are also the churches of Karmravor, Surb Mariane, and Surb Sarkis. In the gorge is a unique bridge built in 1664.

[edit] Legend

According to a legend, three sisters lived in Ashtarak, all of whom fell in love with the same man, prince Sargis. The elder two sisters decided to commit suicide in favor of the youngest one. One wearing an apricot-orange dress and the other wearing a red dress, they threw themselves into the gorge. When the youngest sister found out, she put on a white dress and also threw herself into the gorge. Sargis then became a hermit and three small churches appeared at the edge of the gorge, named after the sisters' dress colors.

[edit] Architecture

The church of Tsiranavor is a small cruciform type church constructed between the 13th to 14th centuries. It is apricot-orange in color, because of the tufa stone used for the walls. Presently, only the walls remain.