Exiting    right     at      the     second interchange at the turnoff for Byurakan from the Gyumri highway, on the left is a bird’s wing monument to the heroes of the battle for Van. The monument is built on the site of the Bronze Age graveyard of Verin Naver, with substantial chamber tombs of coarse boulders surrounded    by    stone   rings    and

   In Byurakan (has Bed & Breakfast) is the important S. Hovhannes basilican church. About 1 km NE (ask directions) is the Artavazik church of 7th c., with a 13th c. khachkar. In the middle of the village, on the left side of the road to Antarut    are   interesting khachkars and gravestones.

covered with a mound. Taking  the Byurakan exit but continuing past the turnoff for Byurakan, one first reaches the village of Agarak, on the Amberd river, founded in 1919 from Van and Tbilisi. The village was apparently located on the site of an Urartian settlement. Adjoining the road on the left side as one ascends N toward the village, there is one massive, well preserved wall of an earlier building converted to use as a church (S. Hovahnnes) possibly in the 5-6th c. through the addition of an apse. Not far from the church (ask directions in the center) are S. Gevorg shrine, Tukh Mannuk church foundations of the 10th c. and medieval cemetery (mostly occupied by modern one), as well as ruined mosque of the late Persian period. On the SW side of the village, left from the main Gyumri highway is situated a volcanic plato, with ritual carvings, symbols and traces of a prehistoric observatory, different building and fortification wall remains, occupied by Eneolithic, Early Bronze Age through medieval period settlement with remains of Hellenistic period building walls, part of  which is converted to a shrine by local villagers.

        

"AHSTARAK KAT" dairy plant