Saint Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral in Nakhichevan-on-Don: The Problem of Attribution and Formation of the Architectural Appearance of the Armenian City

Abstract

Nakhichevan-on-Don is the city founded on the Lower Don in 1779 for Armenians resettled from Crimea. Plan of this city included construction of seven churches. At the beginning of XIX century six churches were built in an uncharacteristic for the settler’s classical style. The projects of these churches have not yet been discovered, their authors are unknown, and the churches are lost. We can see these churches in the photos. Their architectural appearance shows, that professional master created them. The most interesting was cathedral of St. Gregory the Illuminator. It located on Central Square. Many researchers attributed authorship to many famous architects without any arguments. Author of this article put forward a hypothesis about authorship of this cathedral. Author did this with use of researching of written sources and comparative analysis of the cathedral and its close circle of churches. This hypothesis is important for understanding the ways and mechanisms of formation of the architectural image of Nakhichevan-on-Don.