Sightseeing

NORAVANK

It stands in the gorge of the tributary of the Arpa river, among the red rocks. It is an Armenian apostolic monastery complex, which was built in the 13th and 14th centuries. It is located in the Vayots Dzor region of Armenia, 3 km northeast of Amaghu village. According to Stepanos Orbelyan, it has been a holy place since the early Middle Ages.

The oldest building in Noravank, which has reached us in the form of ruins, St. It is the Karapet church. In the 13th century, a new St. was built north of it. Karapet Church. Not far away is St. Astvatsatsin (Burtelashen) church, the construction of which was completed in 1339. Noravank was a major cultural center of the time, closely connected with such spiritual and educational centers as Gladzor University, Tatev Monastery, etc.

The history of the monastery is inseparable from the activities of Momik (1259-1333), a famous architect and sculptor of medieval Armenia. Momik is the architect and sculptor of the Holy Mother of God Church (1321) in Areni. His elegant bas-reliefs decorate the entrance stones of Noravank's hall. The khachkars erected by Momik filled the territories of both Areni Saint Astvatsatsin Church and Noravank complex. Those khachkars are still unrepeatable in their artistic and stylistic performance.

The two-story church-tomb (Burtelashen) of the Holy Mother of God in the southeastern part of the Noravank monastery complex, the two sculptural bas-reliefs on the western and southern walls of the church, as well as the small, simple khachkar in the southern part of the structure, which is erected on its own, are considered to be Momik's last works. and there is also the khachkar-mortuary statue of Momik.

Until the 20th century, the Noravank complex suffered from the disasters of time, attacks, earthquakes. In 1948-1949, the roofs and upper parts of the walls of the two-story tomb-church of the Holy Virgin Burtelashen were restored.

Complete restoration works initiated in the early 1980s were completed in 2001.