Best Monasteries in Armenia
As the first country to adopt Christianity as its national religion it is unsurprising that Armenia is littered with stunning monasteries; many dating from 1000AD. We were lucky enough to visit some of the best and most famous monasteries in Armenia.
Getting Around
Visiting some of Armenia’s most spectacular monasteries is much easier if you have your own set of wheels. There are a number of tours and private taxis making these sacred sites accessible. However these tours can be quite expensive and can limit the time you have to explore.
We rented our car with travelcar.com and if you would like more information about the 18 day road trip we took across Georgia and Armenia please click here.
As a quick note, driving in Armenia can be a daunting experience at times as you deal with poor roads and erratic driving from the locals, but all in all it will improve the options that are available to you in the fascinatingly unique country.
When entering monasteries in Armenia, you are expected to dress modestly. This means no shorts or sleeveless tops, for both male and females. Women are also expected to cover their heads and many monasteries will have scarves outside for such a purpose. Some require women to wear dresses, not trousers. If this is the case then they will also have sarong type garments that can be wrapped around your waist. However this rule is not regularly enforced.
Armenia is littered with stunning monasteries in stunning locations. A great way to find some of the most stunning ones is to check out postcards in souvenir and do a quick search on maps.me to find out where they’re located.
Language Issues
For some helpful advice on potential language barrier issues check out our article on the usefulness of Russian in the Caucasus.
Exploring Armenia’s Best Monasteries
Haghpat
Located at the entrance to the Debed Canyon. This stunning monastery is perched on top of hill offering magnificent views of the Debed canyon. Getting here without your own wheels is difficult although there are guesthouses in Yerevan that can arrange trips back to Tbilisi via Haghpat and Sanahin.
The monastery is generally in excellent condition and you are able to enter the majority of the buildings on the site. The views over the Deded Canyon from the monastery are stunning, and are definitely worth the pot hole filled road up from the main highway.
Sanahin
Further down the Debed Canyon up a very narrow, winding road is Sanahin. It is not one of the most attractive monasteries in terms of itslocation however it recognised by UNESCO for its role in establishing Christianity in Armenia.
The town you pass through to get to Sanahin is probably as interesting as the monastery itself. The narrow winding road up will give you amazing views of the Debed canyon. As the road flattens out and you enter the town it will feel like you’ve stepped back to the 1970s. Dilapidated Soviet era buildings, above ground gas pipes and Lada’s as far as the eye can see.
Though not having the same spectacular views as Haghpat it is still definitely worth a visit.
Sevanavank
Located on the banks of Lake Sevan this is one Armenias most spectacular monasteries. Sadly when we went we were greeted with clouds and rain as opposed to blue skies and sunshine.
This one of Armenias most popular religious sites. As a result there a plenty of companies and drivers that will arrange tours to this monastery. As we explored the grounds we bumped into two older Armenian gentlemen who insisted on sharing their bread, cheese and cha cha with us. We accepted the first two and declined the latter.
Khor Virap
Located only 30km south of Yerevan, Khor Virap may just be one of the most stunning religious buildings we have ever had the pleasure of visiting. However this has much more to do with whats behind it than the actual building itself. Behind Khor Virap is the stunning Mount Ararat. With a backdrop of this stunning snow capped mountain, it is hard not to fell inspired and moved here.
In Yerevan there are tour companies who can take you as well as private taxi drivers. We never researched the rates as we had our own set of wheels. However a number of travellers we met in the Caucasus region had not visited Khor Virap as they felt it was too expensive.
It is a short and easy drive once you get out of the chaos and carnage that is Yerevan of course. The road all the way here is excellent with only one or two pot holes. A major relief after taking on the dirt track road from Alaverdi to Dilijan and the pot hole riddled highways from Dilijan to Sevan.
Noravank
Continuing south from Khor Virap is Noravank. Set on top of a hill at the end of a long and winding valley, this is without a doubt one of Armenias prettiest monasteries. It is also extremely popular with locals, as we found out when we struggled to find a parking spot.
The drive here from Khor Virap is particularly stunning with snow capped mountains and stunning panoramas as you wind around mountain roads. As with the road from Khor Virap to Yerevan the road is in very good condition with only a few pot hole riddled sections.
As we were leaving the monastery we noticed a crowd of people surging through the gates. We just assumed it was locals who were here for a day out. However when a bride and groom popped out of lightly decorated lada we realised it was actually a wedding. At which point pandemonium ensued as everyone there crowded forward to take photos of the bride and groom and wish them good luck. As they prepared to enter the church to be blessed the commotion died and it was back to business as usual.
Geghard
One of Armenias most famous monasteries. Built in the rocks on the outskirts of Yerevan this one of the most visited religious sites in Armenia. However in spite of the number of tourists it never really felt particularly busy.
This is a particularly easy trip to make from Yerevan, meaning that this is one monastery you don’t need your own set of wheels for. However prices and costs seem to very a lot between tour agencies and booking through your guesthouse or hostel. The majority of tourists we saw there were part of organised tour groups. A trip out to Geghard can easily be combined with a trip to Garni.
Garni Temple
The last remaining pagan temple in Armenia, the Garni temple is built on the edge of a cliff protruding into a valley cutting back into the mountains. The location is simply stunning and considering how old the temple is, it is in remarkably good condition. Incidentally, this was the only religious structure we had to pay to enter.
Many people will combine this with a trip to Geghard as they very close to one another. This is also what many tour agencies and private drivers will offer.
Saint Gayne
Just south of Etchmiadzin to the west of Yerevan is this hidden gem. There are barely any visitors here and as a result you often have this place to yourself.
Etchmiadzin Cathedral
The Vatican of Armenia, was the quote we saw in a guidebook. In truth this is not one of most stunning monasteries. Sadly it was under construction when we were there.
Saghmosavanq
Located on the edge of the Kasagh gorge the scenery here is simply sublime. We only saw one other group of tourists when we were here. Safe to say this a place that does not receive a lot of visitors. A large part of this will be due to the distance from Yerevan. Meaning that the only way of getting here is with a private driver. There is a hike that will take you from Saghmosavang to Hovhannavank that is accessible outside of winter.
Hovhannavank
Further down the Kasagh valley you will find the monastery of Hovannavank. Althrough the location is not quite as spectacular as Sagmosavanq it is still well worth a visit. The Kasagh Gorge is located north of Yerevan and the roads there are generally in good condition.
Harichavank
The last of the monasteries we explored in Armenia, Harichavank and is located on the north western side of Mount Aragats. Pretty much opposite the monasteries of Saghmosavanq and Hovannavank, with only giant Mount Aragats separating them. One of the highlights of this particular monastery is the drive there. The route is spectacular as it winds itself around Mount Aragat before plunging into the strange old soviet town of Artik. Worth a little wander in itself the is wonderful homage to the countries Soviet past. It very much seems to be a place where time has stood still since the 80’s. The monastery itself is on top of a hill looking down on Artik and up to Aragats. At the time of writing there was a small amount of construction going on, but if definitely didn’t spoil the view.
