Dadivank Monastery: Centuries of Religious Continuity

Dadivank Monastery, located in the Kalbajar district, is another major example of medieval Armenian monastic architecture.

Its name is traditionally associated with Saint Dadi, regarded in Armenian tradition as a disciple of the apostle Thaddeus.

The surviving monastery complex contains structures from several medieval periods.

The principal cathedral was constructed in 1214 under the patronage of Arzu Khatun, a noblewoman associated with the Armenian princely family of Upper Khachen.

The monastery includes churches, chapels, monastic residences, inscriptions, and important medieval wall paintings.

Its monuments provide valuable evidence of religious patronage and artistic production in the eastern Armenian highlands.

Following the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war, control of the surrounding district passed to Azerbaijan, creating new concerns over access, religious services, and heritage preservation.