Bjni
Encyclopedia
Bjni is a village in the Kotayk Province of Armenia
. It is situated in a valley between canyon walls and a small river. Throughout Bjni's history, it has remained one of the main centers of education in Armenia. Some manuscripts from Bjni dated to the 12th to 17th centuries have survived. The first recorded mention of the village was by the 5th to 6th century chronicler and historian Ghazar Parpetsi
.
In the 11th century, the lands of Bjni were passed to the Pahlavuni
family and played a significant role in Armenian
life during the Bagratuni Dynasty
. Around this time, King Hovhannes-Smbat
made the decision that the lands should become an Episcopal
settlement. In 1066, the election for the Patriarch took place in Bjni. At the beginning of the 13th century, the lands were passed on to the Zakharyan family. A century later in the years 1387-1388 the Turko-Mongol conqueror Timur Lenk destroyed the village of Bjni. The French traveler Jean Chardin
visited the village in 1673, and in 1770 it was visited by the traveler Turenfor.
The remains of the 9th to 10th century Bjni Fortress
of the Pahlavuni
family sit along the top and sides of a mesa that divides the village almost in half. The larger portion of the village is located west of the mesa and curves south, while a smaller portion is east. The walls of the fortress may only be seen from the western side of the village, and are easiest reached via a dirt road that forks (take the left fork) and goes up the side of the hill. At the top of the mesa, there are some sections of walls still preserved, traces of where foundations had once been, the stone foundation of a church from the 5th century, a medieval structure that still stands (currently being rebuilt), two cisterns one with vaulting still partially intact, and a covered passage that leads to the river.
Bjni is the home to other churches as well. The largest of the churches is Surb Astvatsatsin built in 1031, which sits within the village just west of the mesa. To the south of the church a few houses down, there is the small church of Surb Gevorg built in the 13th century. Some nice khachkar
s are built into the walls of the structure. On the eastern portion of the village atop a rock outcrop next to a modern cemetery is the church of Surb Sarkis built in the 7th century. It is the smallest of all of the churches. There is supposedly three other chapels/shrines in the vicinity, one of which sits between the fortress and the village and is constructed of very large stones.
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
. It is situated in a valley between canyon walls and a small river. Throughout Bjni's history, it has remained one of the main centers of education in Armenia. Some manuscripts from Bjni dated to the 12th to 17th centuries have survived. The first recorded mention of the village was by the 5th to 6th century chronicler and historian Ghazar Parpetsi
Ghazar Parpetsi
Ghazar Parpetsi was a 5th to 6th century Armenian chronicler and historian. He had close ties with the powerful Mamikonian noble famiily and is most prominent for writing a history of Armenia, History of Armenia, sometime in the early sixth century.-Life:...
.
In the 11th century, the lands of Bjni were passed to the Pahlavuni
Pahlavuni
Pahlavuni was an Armenian noble family that rose to prominence in the late 10th century during the last years of the Bagratuni monarchy.-Origins:...
family and played a significant role in Armenian
Armenians
Armenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
life during the Bagratuni Dynasty
Bagratuni Dynasty
The Bagratuni, Bagratid or alternatively Pakradouni royal dynasty of Armenia was a royal family whose branches formerly ruled many regional polities, including the Armenian lands of Sper|presently Ispir in Tayk Province of the Armenian Kingdom, Bagrevand in Ayrarat Province of the Armenian...
. Around this time, King Hovhannes-Smbat
Hovhannes-Smbat
Hovhannes-Smbat was King of Ani . He was preceded by his father Gagik I of Ani but was eventually dethroned by Ashot IV Qadj .-Reign of Hovhannes-Smbat:...
made the decision that the lands should become an Episcopal
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
settlement. In 1066, the election for the Patriarch took place in Bjni. At the beginning of the 13th century, the lands were passed on to the Zakharyan family. A century later in the years 1387-1388 the Turko-Mongol conqueror Timur Lenk destroyed the village of Bjni. The French traveler Jean Chardin
Jean Chardin
Jean Chardin , born Jean-Baptiste Chardin, and also known as Sir John Chardin, was a French jeweller and traveller whose ten-volume book The Travels of Sir John Chardin is regarded as one of the finest works of early Western scholarship on Persia and the Near East.-Life and work:Chardin was born in...
visited the village in 1673, and in 1770 it was visited by the traveler Turenfor.
The remains of the 9th to 10th century Bjni Fortress
Bjni Fortress
- History :The fortress of Bjni was built in the 9th to 10th centuries by the royal Pahlavuni family of the Bagratuni Dynasty. The commander of Bjni, lord Vasak Holum Pahlavuni reconstructed the fortress. The 12th century Armenian historian Matteos Urhayetsi wrote in part 1 of the "Chronicle"...
of the Pahlavuni
Pahlavuni
Pahlavuni was an Armenian noble family that rose to prominence in the late 10th century during the last years of the Bagratuni monarchy.-Origins:...
family sit along the top and sides of a mesa that divides the village almost in half. The larger portion of the village is located west of the mesa and curves south, while a smaller portion is east. The walls of the fortress may only be seen from the western side of the village, and are easiest reached via a dirt road that forks (take the left fork) and goes up the side of the hill. At the top of the mesa, there are some sections of walls still preserved, traces of where foundations had once been, the stone foundation of a church from the 5th century, a medieval structure that still stands (currently being rebuilt), two cisterns one with vaulting still partially intact, and a covered passage that leads to the river.
Bjni is the home to other churches as well. The largest of the churches is Surb Astvatsatsin built in 1031, which sits within the village just west of the mesa. To the south of the church a few houses down, there is the small church of Surb Gevorg built in the 13th century. Some nice khachkar
Khachkar
A khachkar or khatchkar is a carved, cross-bearing, memorial stele covered with rosettes and other botanical motifs. Khachkars are characteristic of Medieval Christian Armenian art found in Armenia.-Description:...
s are built into the walls of the structure. On the eastern portion of the village atop a rock outcrop next to a modern cemetery is the church of Surb Sarkis built in the 7th century. It is the smallest of all of the churches. There is supposedly three other chapels/shrines in the vicinity, one of which sits between the fortress and the village and is constructed of very large stones.