Deep in Syunik, where the mountains guard the silence of centuries, lies one of the region's oldest settlements Aghitu. In the early Middle Ages, it held an important role in the political, religious and military life of the land, becoming a crossroads where destinies and traditions intertwined. Its fame, however, rests above all on a unique 6th-7th-century memorial, which still amazes with its grandeur and artistry.
The stone sculptures of the memorial strikingly resemble the reliefs of the Zvartnots Temple: delicate inscriptions and ornaments can still be traced on their surfaces, carrying the breath of that distant age. It is regarded as one of the rarest surviving funerary obelisks in Armenia, a treasure of exceptional value for history and culture.
Equally remarkable is that the Aghitu obelisk inspired the architects who designed the arches of the Sardarapat Memorial bell tower a national symbol of memory and strength. According to tradition, this site may have served as the burial place of those who gave their lives for the Christian faith and each stone surface seems imbued with the quiet of prayer.
Aghitu is not merely a relic of the past, but a living thread that binds early medieval Armenia to the present a testimony to the resilience of a people who safeguarded their faith and memory across the centuries.