Vahramashen Church

Name : Vahramashen Church

Location : Near the fortress of Amberd on the slopes of Mount Aragats in the Aragatsotn province of Armenia.

Description : Vahramashen Church also known as the Church of Amberd is an 11th century Armenian church. The fortress stands on a rocky cape formed by the rivers Ambert and Arkashen. Later, the fortress and its surroundings belonged to the Pahlavouni princes. The latter were a powerful family in the X century. Ambert was conquered by the Mongols in 1236 and destroyed by fire. It was never rebuilt.

Hovhannavank Monastery

Name : Hovhannavank Monastery

Location : Hovhannavank is an Armenian Apostolic Church monastery located in the village of Ohanavan in the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia. It is situated atop a steep gorge carved by the Kasagh river.

Description : The monastery's title originates from the combination of the name Hovhan (Armenian for Jonah) and the word “vank,” which in Armenian means “monastery.” The monastery was dedicated to John the Baptist, whom Armenians venerate as their patron-saint. The monastery stands on the edge of the Qasakh River Canyon, and its territory is adjacent to the village of Ohanavan.

The oldest part of the monastery is the single nave basilica of St. Karapet (i.e. Holy Forerunner, John the Baptist) that was founded at the beginning of the fourth century by St. Gregory the Enlightener, who baptized Armenia into the world’s first Christian nation. The wooden roof of the early church was replaced in 554 AD with a thatch cover, and the basilica itself underwent profound renovation between 1652 and 1734.

The centerpiece of the monastery is the Cathedral built between 1216 and 1221 through the donation of Prince Vache Vachutian. The Cathedral has a cruciform floor plan, with two story sacristies in each of the four extensions of the church. The dome has an umbrella-shaped roof, which is unique to Armenian churches.

Website : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hovhannavank_Monastery

Saghmosavank Monastery

Name : Saghmosavank Monastery

Location : It is located in the village of Saghmosavan in the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia

Description : The Saghmosavank Monastery is a 13th century Armenian monastic complex located in the village of Saghmosavan. Like the Hovhannavank Monastery which is five kilometers north, Saghmosavank is situated atop the precipitous gorge carved by the Kasagh river. Their silhouettes dominate the adjacent villages and rise sharp against the background of the mountains crowned by Mount Aragats.

The main temples of the monasteries erected by Prince Vache Vachutyan - the Church of Zion in Saghmosavank (1215) and the Church of Karapet in Hovhannavank (1216-1221) belong to the same type of cross-winged domed structure with two-floor annexes in all the corners of the building. Subcupola space predominates in the interiors of both churches, which is reflected in the exterior shapes of these structures.

Website : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saghmosavank_Monastery

Khor Virap

Name : Khor Virap

Location : Its location, near the closest point to Mount Ararat within Armenian borders, offers a spectacular view of the mountain, the national symbol of Armenia.

Description : The main church, St. Astvatsatsin, dates from the end of the 17th century. The smaller St. Gevorg Chapel was originally constructed in 642 by Catholicos Nerses III the Builder, but has been repeatedly rebuilt. St. Gevorg was built over the pit of imprisonment of Saint Gregory the Illuminator. This prison pit is where Saint Gregory the Illuminator was imprisoned for 13 years before curing King Trdat III of a disease. As reverence for Saint Gregory's act of healing and kindness, the King converted Armenia into the first officially Christian nation in the world in the year 301.

Website : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khor_Virap