Treasures of Northern Armenia

This route leads to the Lori region — a land of deep gorges, mountain landscapes and outstanding monuments of medieval Armenia.

In a single day we will visit three renowned monastic complexes and an unusual cave set amid the picturesque nature of Lori.

The first stop is Akhtala Monastery, a medieval fortified monastic complex surrounded by powerful fortress walls. Akhtala owes its particular fame to the main church of Surb Astvatsatsin, which dates to the 13th century.

The church's greatest treasure is inside — beautifully preserved medieval frescoes covering a significant part of the walls and the altar space. Monumental painting of this kind is not often found in Armenian monasteries, which is why Akhtala holds a special place among the country's historical monuments.

Next we head to Haghpat Monastery. The monastic complex was founded in the 10th century, during the reign of the Bagratid dynasty. For several centuries Haghpat was an important spiritual, educational and cultural centre of medieval Armenia.

Churches, chapels, a bell tower, a refectory, khachkars and other structures from various eras have survived here. Together with Sanahin Monastery, Haghpat is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as an outstanding example of the development of Armenian medieval religious architecture.

The next stop is the Mendz Er cave, located in the Alaverdi area. In the local Lori dialect the name "Mendz Er" means "Big Cave".

The cave is remarkable not only for its interior but also for its setting. From here there are beautiful views over the Lori gorge and the surrounding mountains.

After this natural part of the route we continue to another outstanding monument of medieval Armenia — Sanahin Monastery. Sanahin also took shape mainly in the 10th–13th centuries and was one of the most important educational and spiritual centres of its time.

It housed a school and a library, manuscripts were copied and studied here, and theology and other sciences flourished. The architectural ensemble of Sanahin includes several churches, narthexes, a bell tower, a book depository and numerous khachkars. Together with Haghpat, Sanahin Monastery is under UNESCO protection.

It is here that the journey through Lori comes to an end — among medieval architecture and the mountain landscapes of northern Armenia.

"Treasures of Northern Armenia" suits those who want to get to know the country's history more deeply and to see places that differ from the classic routes around Yerevan.

The special quality of this trip is the combination of Akhtala's rare frescoes, the UNESCO heritage of Haghpat and Sanahin, the Mendz Er cave and the impressive nature of Lori.

The route is especially interesting for lovers of history, medieval architecture, ancient monasteries and the mountain landscapes of Armenia.