Geghard Monastery

Գեղարդավանք

A medieval monastery carved partly into a cliff face, with some churches cut entirely from solid rock. It has striking echo acoustics and was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000.

Geghard Monastery lies in the upper Azat River gorge, about 10 km east of Garni Temple, surrounded by steep rock walls. Tradition holds that St. Gregory the Illuminator founded it in the 4th century beside a sacred spring. It was originally called Ayrivank (“Monastery of the Cave”) and took the name Geghard after housing the so-called Holy Lance, said to have pierced the body of Jesus. The lance is now kept in Etchmiadzin. Most of the surviving buildings date from the 13th century. The main church, Katoghike (1215), is a freestanding stone structure. Attached to it are several churches and burial chambers carved directly into the mountain. Their walls are decorated with carvings of lions, eagles, and grapevines, and openings in the ceilings let shafts of light fall from above, creating a mysterious atmosphere. One chamber contains a spring that worshippers regard as holy. The rock churches have excellent acoustics, and small choirs sometimes sing Armenian hymns inside them. The cliffs around the monastery are pocked with caves where monks once lived and prayed, and carved khachkars (cross-stones) stand nearby. Admission is free, though donations are welcome. Outside the entrance, vendors sell sujukh, a sweet made of walnuts strung on thread and dipped in grape juice. Geghard is often combined with Garni Temple, about 50 minutes by minibus from Yerevan.

Geghard Monastery

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