Tatev is known as the bishopric seat of Syunik and played a significant role in the history of the region as a center of economic, political, spiritual and cultural activity.

Shocked by his discovery, the apprentice loses his foothold and falls into the abyss as he calls upon God to grant him wings, which, in Armenian is: "Ta Tev".

[7] Tatev Monastery is located in South-East Armenia, in the area of ancient Armenian Syunik, not far from the city of Goris and 280 km away from Yerevan.

With the growth of economic and political importance of the centre, the aging buildings no longer suited its requirements, and thus Bishop Hovhannes (John) obtained the financial assistance of Prince Ashot of Syunik to construct the new monastery.

[9] In 1836, Czarist Russia put an end to the metropolitan authorities of Tatev through the imposition of Pologenia, and Syunik became part of the Diocese of Yerevan.

This column was built in the 10th century following the completion of the Paul and Peter church and has survived numerous invasions and earthquakes relatively unscathed.

In the 18th century, additions were made to house the bishop's residence, cells for the monks, storage, dining hall, kitchen, bakery and winery.

[6] The eastern façade contains niches that are crowned with bas-relief portraits of its benefactors, Prince Ashot and Princess Shushan, each bordered by protective snakes.

What sets Gavazan apart is its remarkable ability to sway or swing without collapsing, making it the only structure in the complex to have survived the test of time, remaining intact despite centuries of existence.

The key purpose of the column is to alert of minor earth tremors and thus giving early warning signals about possible earthquakes.

Over the years, Gavazan has become a symbol of resilience and architectural ingenuity, attracting visitors from around the world to marvel at its unique construction and historical significance.

This is exactly the same phenomenon as building a church on the foundation of pre-Christian worshiping places, turning the monuments of inscriptions of the kings of Qajants country into khachkars.

The views expressed about the function of the pillar are unfounded and illogical (checking the spiritual-energetic power of clergies, warning of earthquakes or alerting of approaching enemy cavalry).

The examples of similar monuments, since prehistoric times show that they mostly had worshiping significance (sometimes they were set up as reminders of memorable historical events).

The mythological names of Marduk and Son represent the God on the basis of whose worship Christianity arose as a sect in the Semitic environment.

[21] It became a prominent and influential monastic centre soon after its foundation, possessing expansive areas of land and a large number of villages.

[6] Soon after the transfer of the lands, peasants of Tsouraberd (present day Svarants), Tamalek, Aveladasht and other villages, rejected the authority of the Monastery and began a prolonged struggle against it.

Twice the protests transformed into open uprisings[21] and continued, with some interruptions, until 990 when King Vasak of Syunik razed Tsouraberd and dispersed its population .

In his History of the Province of Syunik, Stepanos Orbelian describes how the monastery served as the repository for thousands of valuable manuscripts, monastic and official documents and contracts.

In the beginning of the 1340s, following the decline of the University of Gladzor, Hovhan Vorotnetsi departed from Vayots Dzor, and arriving in Dzghook, Vorotn, he obtained the blessing and patronage of the Orbelian princes to advance the educational system at Tatev.

This enabled Tatev to be transformed to a deserving university within a short period of time,[24] attracting students from various regions of Greater Armenia and Cilicia.

The Unitores were an Armenian branch of the Dominican order and the result of an initiative taken by Pope John XXII to extend the influence of Holy See of Rome onto Asia and to Latinize Greater Armenia.

[25] Following the collapse of the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia in 1375, scholars of Tatev, led by Grigor Tatevatsi and then his followers, especially Tovma Metsobetsi and Hovhannes Hermonetsi played an important role in convincing the authorities to repatriate of the supreme patriarchal throne of the Armenian Church from Sis to Etchmiadzin, the original See of Saint Gregory the Illuminator.

[26] The effort succeeded in 1441 following the decisions of the National Congress of Etchmiadzin, proving to be one of the most significant events in Armenian history of that century.

In spite of the dauntless efforts of its new leaders, the political and economic conditions, compounded with the security complications of the period led Tatev to lose its luster and finally ceased to function following the invasions of Shah Rukh in 1434.

[11][24] In 1995, the monasteries of Tatev, Tatevi Anapat and their adjacent areas of the Vorotan Valley were added to the tentative list of World Heritage Sites of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Included in this objective is the creation of infrastructure around the monastery while respecting its cultural, historical and spiritual significance, as well as the concurrent development of local communities.

The official start of the project is given in October 2010 by the launch of the world's longest reversible aerial tramway (5750 m long), as part of its effort to revive tourism in the area.

The Kapan-based Ark Ecological NGO is currently building hiking trail infrastructure to connect Kapan and Tatev monastery to promote the ecotourism in the Syunik region.

The reconstruction of the Church of Surb Astvatsatsin to its original appearance was incorporated in the first stage of the Tatev monastic complex restoration.