At 9.1 km is the  first  turnoff  to  the right for Shatin. At 10.0 km from the Yeghegnadzor road is the second turn-off for Shatin, (till 1935 Hasankend), where the Yeghegis river turns E.  Main attraction is Shativank, a fortified monastery 3 km E up the gorge.  Other  antiquities   in the      vicinity      reportedly     include Berdakar      fort       (2   km  S,   5th c.),

   At    the   first    fork   beyond    Shatin, signposted “Tsakhatskar Vank 13 km”, turning left (N) on a paved road brings one to Artabuynk (until 1946 Erdapin, then Yeghegis until the recent  transfer of populations, when Alayaz reclaimed the name). Its inhabitants were brought in 1830  from Khoy region. Follow the lower road parallel to the stream until about  1  km

Shatin bridge, a shrine S, and a 10th c. church in Hostun.

        

past the village. An unmarked jeep track angles steeply down to the right, fords the stream, and climbs up. The left fork (and left again) leads (6 km NE of village) to the splendid ruined Tsakhatskar Monastery, with S. Hovhannes church of 989, S. Karapet church of the 10th c., and a host of other ruined buildings, decorated with splendid khachkars, on the flank of the mountain. Retracing the track and taking the first right fork leads to the 9th century fortress of Smbatabert. This spectacular castle sits on the crest of the ridge between Artabuynk and Yeghegis (or, as most people still call them, Yeghegis and Alayaz), and includes an upper citadel. The castle recieved water from a buried clay pipe leading from the monastery. According to legend, the Turks compelled the fort’s surrender by employing a thirsty horse to sniff out the pipeline.