‘‘The
Gandzasar Monastery – the ‘Treasure of the Mountains’
– stood before us, high above the canyon of the River Khachen, amongst
the gorges, mountains and alpine meadows, like a long and ancient chant.
Construction
work on the monastery’s cathedral church began in 1216 after the invasion
of the Seljuk Turks had been repulsed and it was completed during the
period of the invasion of the Mongol Tartars.
Legend has
it that the decapitated head of John the Baptist is buried in the vault
of the church, which is why the church is dedicated to Hovhannes Mkrtich
– St. John the Baptist.’’
THE MARRIAGE OF A
PEN AND A “HASSELBLAD”, OR A MASTER CLASS BY BORIS BARATOV.
“The Chronicles
of Karabakh. 1989–2009” by Boris Baratov is a personal account of
the whole dramatic history of Artsakh-Karabakh, one of the regions of
ancient Armenia. This book was printed in Venice.
The quality of the
illustrations is impeccable. Leafing through the book is akin
to watching a first-rate film, which in its scope and quality reveals
this ancient land to the world.
Karen Mikaelian,
“New Times” newspaper, 28th January, 2010.
Armenia.
A JOURNEY IN TIME
Boris Baratov’s
book “The Chronicles of Karabakh. 1989–2009” forms a unique
mosaic, which recounts the fates of various strands of our people, scattered
as they have been throughout the world by the whims of Fate. Many
of the photographs are accompanied by fascinating snapshot accounts,
which like brightly-coloured touches in paint, add to the overall picture
of our ancient history.
This is a hugely interesting
read. Once you start your “journey” through the pages of “The
Chronicles…” it is impossible to put them down. This book
not only describes the monuments of history and culture, but also brings
the reader into touch with real people, many of whom are well known
in Karabakh. Their stories are followed over the course of twenty
years.
Leonid Matrirosian,
“Azat Artsakh” newspaper. 30th January,
2010. NKR.
THERE ARE ALWAYS EAGLES
WHEELING IN THE SKY ABOVE KARABAKH
To call the illustrations
of the book “The Chronicles of Karabakh” mere photographs, would
be to fail to convey adequately the sense of joyful delight, which anyone
feels when coming face to face with a true work of art.
This book reveals
to its reader both a country and a people, of whom in 1861 the famous
French historian and orientalist Victor Langlois said in his article
“The place of Armenia in world history”: “If there is a Christian
people, who deserve the sympathy of Europe, it is the Armenians.
This great, remarkable, ancient, noble and celebrated nation, although
divided between two states… numbers four million people, but despite
their terrible ordeals and losses, their remnants still today represent
a reasonably strong force, which will one day become the nucleus of
a vast nation”.
Every page of “The
Chronicles of Karabakh” bears witness to the nobility of this freedom-loving
people. This is an accurate and truthful account. This is
proof that Artsakh-Karabakh, with its eagles and mountain heights always
was and always will remain part of Armenia.
Hovhannes Eranian,
“Erkir” newspaper, January 2010. Armenia
