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Vanevan Monastery

Vanevan Monastery

Monastery

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145 km from Yerevan center

Region:

Gegharkunik

At the very edge of a deep gorge, in the village of Artsvanist in the Gegharkunik region, lies the Vanevan Monastery an ancient sanctuary founded as early as the 10th century. At its heart stands the Church of Saint Gregory the Illuminator, erected in 903 by Prince Shapuh Bagratuni, brother of King Smbat Bagratuni of Armenia. A few years later, in 914, the king himself was buried here, giving the monastery profound historical significance.

The creation of the complex also involved their sister, Mariam, whose name has been preserved in legends along with that of Vanevan itself. To the right of the main church rises another, later-built church with a narthex, whose austere lines complemented the ensemble. The monastery's stone walls blend harmoniously with the rugged mountain landscape, as though nature itself guards this sacred site.

Nearby are a spring and a small cave, as well as the unique cyclopean church of Bruti. Together, they form a remarkable architectural and spiritual landscape that transports the traveler to the very heart of medieval Armenia. A visit to Vanevan is not only a meeting with ancient architecture but also a journey into the history of the Bagratuni dynasty, which left a deep mark on the destiny of the country.