SITES AND ATTRACTIONS IN VAYOTS DZOR

Arpa Protected Landscape

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Three local communities and the World Wildlife Fund jointly manage Arpa Protected Landscape. Arpa seeks to maintain Armenia’s biodiversity and has implemented projects to protect over 900 species of plants and around 525 species of animals in its territory. Take a hike in one of Vayots Dzor’s most pristine natural sanctuaries or protected areas to view Vayots Dzor’s ochre-colored mountains, swim in one of the region’s famed hot springs or have a glimpse of an elusive Bezoar ibex.

Arpa has several hiking trails and camping sites. Check out the information panels at the entrances to the site to ascertain the distance and difficulty level of each hike. The trails, which wind around the mountainous terrain, will take you through beautiful flora and will afford you spectacular views of the rolling hills, gorges, and streams of the surrounding landscape.

If you are interested in a more guided experience, hire one of Arpa’s rangers to accompany you on a hike or have them drive you in a truck along the trails. The rangers can lead you to designated vista points, one of the most spectacular of which gives you a bird’s-eye view of the Noravank monastic complex. The rangers are also experts in spotting Bezoar ibexes that run up mountain ledges after drinking from the river streams in the valleys below. The rangers can help guide your line of sight through high-powered binoculars.

ARENI-1 CAVE

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The Areni-1 Cave offers evidence of wine production from 4,000 BC. The cave has yielded exciting findings of wine production including collection, crushing, and fermentation areas – the earliest evidence for such a production facility in the world. It is also the location where the world’s oldest shoe was found, current on display at the National History Museum in Yerevan.

Due to the fragile nature of this cave and plans for future excavations, this site is not usually open to the public. However, there is a plan to create a vista point for easy and low-disturbance access. Plans to digitally scan the cave and render it in 3D projections will also give visitors a chance to virtually access the exciting twist, turns, and surprises of this cave.

JEWISH CEMETERY, YEGHEGIS

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During the medieval era, the Silk Road brought people of many cultures and faiths through Armenia and Vayots Dzor. The tombstones in this cemetery, dating from 1266 to 1337, belong to a small Jewish community that lived in the medieval city of Yeghegis. Unfortunately, little historical evidence exists in regards to this Jewish community and other contemporaneous religious and ethnic communities throughout Armenia. Many of the tombstones display Jewish funerary language (Hebrew) as well as biblical and Talmudic verses. The names of some of the deceased reflect names popular amongst Jews of Iran, suggesting an Iranian origin of the Jewish community buried at this site.

13TH-CENTURY MEDIEVAL BRIDGE

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This medieval bridge, which crosses the Arpa River, is situated on the south side of the main North-South highway, near the village of Agarakadzor. Little is known about the bridge, but local myths claim that a Proshian prince built it to easily access his palace located on the river’s edge. Today, shepherds actively use the bridge to move livestock. You can spot the bridge from the nearby roadway, though it may take a local to help direct your gaze. Climb to the distinctive pinnacle of the bridge, which is constructed with a pointed arch to give it greater height, in order to get spectacular views of the lush landscape that surrounds the bridge’s place on the river.

NORAVANK MONASTERY

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Your trip to Vayots Dzor is not complete without a visit to this iconic medieval monastic complex. The churches and monastic halls at Noravank, built from the 9th to the 14th centuries, are nestled within a gorge and surrounded with ochre-colored cliffs. Noravank is just a short drive from the Areni-1 Cave Complex. The site consists of several churches, including St. Astvatsatsin church, St. Karapet church, St. Stepanos church and St. Gregory mausoleum-chapel, as well as other monastic buildings and spaces.

Many Orbelian nobility are buried in the confines of the complex. Make sure to walk into the St. Gregory mausoleum-chapel to see the tombstones of Orbelian princes and their family members. Marvel at the tombstone of Prince Elikum Orbelian, which features a lion turning towards you.

The church, as well as its iconographic reliefs, are likely the last works of the famous architect and sculptor, Momik, who was said to be going blind by the time St. Astvatsatsin was finished in 1339. Momik may have also carved the sculptural reliefs on the adjacent St. Karapet church. The relief over the western lintel of the narthex displays a very rare depiction of God the Father blessing the Crucifix with his right hand and holding the head of Adam in his left hand. Until this relief, God was only represented symbolically and never with a human likeness.

For early-birds, visiting Noravank right before sunrise is an absolute treat. Not only do you see the hues of the buildings in the complex change from a grayish blue-green to the spectacular golden-pink that reflects off the stones in the sunlight, you also will most likely witness herds of Bezoar ibex in their morning migration from river to the mountaintop. If you’re lucky, you’ll see Bezoar ibex running straight up the sheer cliffs behind Noravank.

SHATIN BEZOAR IBEX OBSERVATION POINT

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The village of Shatin boasts the only bezoar ibex observation point in Armenia. The pavilion here offers spectacular views of the Shatin Mountains, home to around 600 bezoar ibexes. From the Shatin bezoar ibex observation point, visitors can use a spotting scope or pair of binoculars to track the mountain goats across the sheer cliff faces. The best to spot Bezoar ibex is in the early morning or early evening, just before sunset. A nearby B&B can arrange a meal and wine tasting for you to enjoy as you wait for the goats to come bounding by.

ORBELIAN CARAVANSERAI (SELIM OR SULEMA)

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The Silk Road, a medieval commercial trading route that merchants, traders, and explorers used to trade their goods, crisscrossed ancient Armenia. Caravanserais, like the one you see here, provided resting and short-term living quarters for tired travelers on the Silk Road and their animals. Built of basalt blocks in 1326-1327 and later expanded in 1332, the Orbelian Caravanserai features a large cavernous central hall with two vaulted side aisles. The site was destroyed in the 17th century but was later restored in the Soviet era.

And now it is the best-preserved caravanserai in Armenia. On one of the walls, there are 2 inscriptions written in Persian and Armenian.

SMBATABERD FORTRESS

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Smbataberd fortress sits on a narrow mountain ridge between Yeghegis and Artabuynk villages. The fortress, which includes two citadels, was likely constructed between the 9th and 11th centuries AD. Smbataberd may have been the Symbace referenced in the accounts of famed Greek historian Strabo, suggesting that the present structure overlays a more ancient foundation. Steep hills and river canyons surround the fortress on three sides. This defensive location made the fortress difficult to penetrate. The citadels built into the fortress walls provided a place for soldiers to sleep, created a safe haven for the royal family, and functioned as a storage venue for arsenals, grains, and produce.

The road leading to Smbataberd is narrow and steep, so hiking is the best option to get to the top. The fortress is partially reconstructed and offers scenic views of the valley below. The complex had a water system with spring water coming from Tsakhats Kar monastery area. The fortress is believed to be built by Bagratuni dynasty and then fortified by Orbelian dynasty.

ZORATS CHURCH

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Zorats church is a truly unique 14th-century structure. No other church like it exists in Armenia. The open western entrance, with no closed inner hall, is a surprising architectural feature that does not contain a traditional vaulted hall and domed ceiling. The only roofed enclosure is the eastern altar apse and its two adjacent vestries.

If you walk towards the altar, you’ll notice its unusual height. Scholars believe the altar was constructed for soldiers sitting on horses. These riders could comfortably dismount their horses or remain seated to receive their blessing. This genius engineering allowed soldiers to accept the sacrament and blessing of Christ before heading off to their posting or to battle.

YEGHEGNADZOR ART GALLERY, BRANCH OF NATIONAL GALLERY OF ARMENIA

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Founded in 1978 and renovated in 2010, the Yeghegnadzor Art Gallery exhibits a range of works from prominent masters of Armenian painting from the 20th century. There are three exhibition halls, two with permanent collections, and one that showcases changing exhibitions. The reopening of the branch after its restoration coincided with the commemorations dedicated to the writer, miniaturist, sculpture, and architect of the end of the 13th and the first half of the 14th centuries Master Momik (1260-1333). The works of Momik and his contemporaries were also exhibited at this gallery.

YEGHEGNADZOR REGIONAL HISTORY MUSEUM

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Interested in the cultural and ancient history of Vayots Dzor? Yeghegnadzor regional history museum is the perfect place to get your historical fill. The museum holds over 12,000 artifacts, which are on a rotational display throughout the museum’s four galleries. In the archaeological display cases, you can find Stone Age obsidian tools, black and red 3rd to 2nd-century BC pottery discovered in nearby excavations, bronze belts from the Urartian period, a bear ceremonial vessel found near Areni and artifacts from the 13th- to 14th-century Jewish cemetery in Yeghegis. A particularly spectacular artifact includes a khachkar created by the architect and illuminator Momik in the 14th century. This khachkar is one of three verifiable khachkars attributed to him. The museum also features an ethnographic exhibition and a numismatics display that hosts a range of coins and paper money dating as far back as the 1st century BC.

ARKAZ MONASTERY (HOLY CROSS CHURCH)

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The Armenian clergyman and historian Stepanos Orbelian mentioned Arkaz monastery in his writings, dating the site to the 8th century. The church within the complex is called Holy Cross (Surb Khach) and a tomb in the church is rumored to contain a piece of the True Cross, which was buried with an early medieval queen in one of the vestries. Local lore claims that during the reconstruction of the church in 2011, the face of Jesus appeared above this tomb. Afterward, church proprietors placed a tapestry of Jesus’s face on the wall below.

PROSHABERD FORTRESS

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Proshaberd (or Boloraberd) fortress was built in the 13th century on an inaccessible mountain and occupied an area of 1-1,5 hectares. It was built by prince Prosh which is why the local people call it Proshaberd and not Boloraberd. The walls are made of basalt. Proshaberd had a water supply the evidence of which are the pipes that can be seen even today. The pyramids and the walls were as well preserved, whereas the inner defensive structures, the arsenal, and the barracks, as well as the palace of the Proshyan Princes, were destroyed and buried under the thick soli layer.

SPITAKAVOR ST. ASTVATSATSIN MONASTERY

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Prince E’achi Proshian first commissioned Spitakavor St. Astvatsatsin monastery and his son, Amir Hassan II, completed the monastery in 1321 three years after his father’s death. The church is constructed of felsite stone, a fine-grained volcanic rock that often has a white to light gray color. Spitak translates to “white” in Armenian.

The domed hall-type church, with a cruciform interior and square exterior, contains exemplary models of relief sculptures, which some scholars attribute to the 13th-century artist, sculptor, and illuminator, Momik, the same artist who carved several of the reliefs at Noravank. A bas-relief portrait of Prince E’eachi and another that depicts Amir Hassan II hunting are displayed, respectively, in the Hermitage in St. Petersburg and the State History Museum of Armenia.

After Gladzor University closed in the 1340s, Spitakavor has become the cultural and educational center of the region and housed a calligraphy center that produced numerous illuminated manuscripts. One of the most surprising finds includes a medieval inscription that mentions an Armenian purchasing a plot of land from a Jewish resident. Medieval Jews in this region of the world were prohibited from owning property.

In 1987, the remains of Garegin Nzhdeh, a prominent Armenian statesman and military figure from the first half of the 20th century, were moved to Spitakavor. He died in Soviet prison, but his body was secretly brought to Soviet Armenia in 1983 and later buried in Spitakavor. Every year, on June 17, hundreds of Armenians from around the world participate in a pilgrimage to Spitakavor, where they visit the basalt tombstone and khachkar dedicated to Nzhdeh.

TANAHAT MONASTERY

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The late 13th- and early 14th-century historian Stepanos Orbelian dated this monastery to the 8th century. Later, in place of the 8th-century chapel, the princely Proshian family commissioned the main church, St. Stepanos, between 1273 to 1279. Another church, St. Nshan, dates to the 13th century. Both structures were built with dark blue polished basalt stone. Take a look at the south-facing wall of St. Stepanos to see the Proshian princely family crest which depicts an eagle with a lamb in its claws.

Some scholars believe the remains of adjacent structures near the churches are the ruins of Gladzor University, a great center of educational learning from the late 13th century to the mid-14th century.

Visit the nearby Tanahat monastery, where the university may have been located. The university was lauded by contemporaries as a “Glorious Second Athens” and the “Capital of Wisdom”. Students followed a rigorous syllabus that included the study of Theology, Philosophy, Rhetoric, Astronomy, and Geometry among others. Additionally, the university was a center of calligraphy, which led to the production of hundreds of illuminated manuscripts.

TSAKHATS KAR MONASTERY

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Set in mountainous foothills, 10th-century Tsakhats kar monastery overlooks the Yeghegis River and sits in the valley across from Smbataberd fortress. The monastery consists of many buildings scattered several meters apart. A cemetery, as well as monks’ quarters, are dispersed among the St. Nshan, St. Karapet, St. Astvatsatsin and St. Hovhannes churches.

The medieval historian Stepanos Orbelian claims that in the 5th century, four battles occurred in Vayots Dzor during a war against the Sassanids. One battle allegedly took place nearby and helped Armenian nobility secure their autonomy.