Dome of the Katoghike Church - Marmashen Monastery (Shirak province - Armenia) - Domes of the (Under) World on Waymarking.com

The depicted 7 m wide massive stone dome covers the drum (tholobate) of Katoghike Church. The early medieval Katoghike church, also called Surb Astvatsamayr (Holy Mother of God in Armenian), is the main and the biggest church of Marmashen Monastery in Shirak province of Armenia. The Marmashen Monastery, located on the left bank of the Akhuryan River close to Marmashen village, belongs among the most important early medieval monastic complexes in the country.

The Katoghike, the principal church of the Marmashen monastery, was together with another buildings erected by Prince Vahram Pahlavuni from 986-1029 with the help of his mother Shushik and brothers Vasak, Aplgharib and Hamge according to information given in the inscription carved on the church's south wall. The historian Samuel of Ani (a famous medieval capital of Armenia) mentions that the Katoghike was built from 986-994.

The Katoghike is notable for the use of architectural and sculptural features similar to those on theimpressive cathedral of Ani built 986-1001 by the architect Trdat, such as blind arcades with slender colonnettes on the exterior walls. There are seven arcaded wall-niches carved on the interior eastern apse, which are with high probability the Trdat’s work. Although the inner and outer Katoghike’s walls are constructed of tuff, which is responsible for the reddish color of the churches, basalt is used for the base walls.