Arakelots Monastery

Arakelots Monastery
Մշո Սուրբ Առաքելոց վանք
The monastery in the early 20th century. Photo by Vartan A. Hampikian, published in New York in 1923
Religion
Affiliation	Armenian Apostolic Church
Status	Destroyed
Location
Location	Arak (Kepenek) Village,[1] Muş Province, Turkey
Shown within Turkey
Geographic coordinates	38°41′45″N 41°31′10″E / 38.695786°N 41.519517°E / 38.695786; 41.519517
Architecture
Type	Monastery
Style	Armenian
Founder	Gregory the Illuminator
Groundbreaking	early 4th century (traditional date) 11th century (earliest verifiable date)
Completed	11th–12th centuries

Arakelots Monastery (Armenian: Մշո Սուրբ Առաքելոց վանք, Mšo Surb Arakelots vank' , "Holy Apostles Monastery of Mush") was an Armenian monastery in the historic province of Taron, 11 km south-east of Mush (Muş), in present-day eastern Turkey.^[2] According to tradition, Gregory the Illuminator founded the monastery to house relics of several apostles. The monastery was, however, most likely built in the 11th century. During the 12th-13th centuries it was a major center of learning. In the following centuries it was expanded, destroyed and renovated. It remained one of the prominent monasteries of Turkish (Western) Armenia until the Armenian genocide of 1915, when it was attacked and subsequently abandoned. It remained standing until the 1960s when it was reportedly blown up.^[3] Today, ruins of the monastery are still visible.