Prince Vahram Pahlavuni is credited for building Marmashen churches. This information is known from the inscription left on the walls of the church. It was preserved till today.
It is said that the name is the modified version of “Mariamashen.” Another village that is situated very close to the monastery is called Vahramaberd, probably in the honor of Prince Vahram Pahlavuni. This is why it is often assumed that Marmashen used to be the official residence of the prince.
Marmashen Monastery is considered to be one of the best architectural examples of the reign of Bagratuni dynasty. It has served as one of the most important spiritual centers of medieval Armenia and is of great architectural value.
Unfortunately, the harsh years of Armenian history touched upon this monastery as well. Local Armenians gradually left their homes and moved to other countries. This resulted in Marmashen Monastery being closed down. The area was almost completely uninhabited in the beginning of the 19th century.
Even now, the churches are not functioning for daily religious purposes. In fact, they don’t belong to the Armenian Church. Despite this, masses, weddings and baptisms are still held here by the Armenian Apostolic Church.
The monastery consists of four churches and the ruins of the gavit. The main church is called Katoghike or St. Astvatsamayr (Holy Mother of God), the second church is built very close to Katoghike. It is assumed that the smaller church was the imitation of the main church, as it displays the same style and design.
The architecture of Katoghike Church includes the most typical Armenian designs and structures. Although the inner and outer walls are constructed of tuff, which is responsible for the reddish color of the churches, basalt is used for the base walls.
The third church is also smaller in size. Next, ruins of the gavit can still be seen today. Unfortunately, only the bottom parts of the walls have survived. Interestingly, the gavit stands directly on the grave of Vahram Pahlavuni. The grave belongs to the medieval times, but the tombstone is quite new. It was made in the 19th century.
Katoghike and the third churches were ruined during the Seljuk invasions. The buildings were later renovated by the descendants of Pahlavuni in 1225. This resulted in slight modifications of the original design. One of those modifications worth mentioning is the Holy Altar, which was decorated similarly to Ani Cathedral. The latter was located in the city of Ani that was a prominent center of all spheres of life back then.
The fourth church was later discovered during excavations.