The Holy Sunday Chapel, located in Gandzakar village in Tavush Province, Armenia, is a historical monument built in 1286. It features traditional Armenian architectural elements and serves as an important cultural and spiritual site. The chapel is constructed from local stone and is surrounded by a medieval cemetery. It has undergone several renovations over the centuries to preserve its structure and significance.
The monument is located 2 km southeast of the village, in the Khojabazar settlement area, west of the Arabi gorge, on a hillside. The monument is standing and is also known as the Khchbazar Cross. It is constructed on a rock fragment 2 meters above the ground. The dating of its construction is confirmed by the inscription on the semi-circular frontal stone, which mentions the year 1286. It is a small domed structure with a square plan, a single apse, and a single altar. In the corners of the walls, about 1 meter high, are embedded four supports on which the arches of the roof rest, bearing the small dome with a cylindrical drum made of polished stone and a pointed roof. It has one entrance on the western side. The dome’s roof and drum are damaged. Around the chapel, on the plateau to the right of the Arabi gorge, is a cemetery with unpolished tombstones.
The project is implemented within the framework of the EU4Culture program “we are our mountains”, funded by the European Union. The project is being implemented by the Municipality of Ijevan and the Urban Sustainable Development Fund.
