Turning from the main  road  toward Talin, the 2nd or 3rd right turn, bypassing 19th c. church and modern khachkars, leads to a large medieval through modern cemetery in which are the impressive remains of an important Cathedral church  of   the 5-6th c. very similar to the 7th c. church at Aruch. Nearby is a smaller S. Astvatsatsin church,   built   in   the

   Turning left  in  the  main  square  of Talin and continuing S leads to Dashtadem (formerly Nerkin/Lower Talin). A few hundred meters after the electric substation, on the left rise the ruined stone walls of a large medieval caravansaray. W of the road on a hill are remains of Stone Age obsidian workshops.   In   the   middle  of  the village of Dashtadem, a left turn leads

7th c., occupied by Early Christian period  stone stelas, foundations of the 5th c. basilica church. Somewhere in  the vicinity are caves. N from the churches, above a hill are remnants of an Iron Age fortification walls, with traces of a settlement and tombs. In the nearby gorge are remains of the Early medieval period dam. Right from the road to Areg is the Khacher shrine with early khachkars among of which is the famous circular khachkar of the 9-10th c.

        

almost  immediately to the  arched gateway of the fortress. Most of the outer circuit wall dates to the last Qajar khans of Yerevan, at the beginning of the 19th c. However, the fortress is considerably earlier. The keep within is a bizarre structure, with half-round towers glued onto an earlier Armenian fortress probably of the 10th c. Beneath the citadel are substantial cisterns. There is also a chapel of S. Sargis beside it, dated to the 10th c. Continuing through Dashtadem, and descending toward the S, a spur road climbs left to the restored 7th c. Kristapori Vank. The area between the monastery and fortress is occupied by a huge settlement of the Bronze Age through medieval periods, with traces of civil and cult buildings, different constructions, tomb fields and graveyards, khachkars and cave complexes.