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Lori is located on Armenia’s
northern border, the largest in area of Armenia’s eleven regions.
Bounded on all sides
by rugged mountains and cut by sheer gorges, Lori is a
dramatically beautiful region, sparsely settled except for the
valleys of the Pambak,
Debed
and Dzoraget
rivers. Apart from richly furnished Bronze and Iron Age
tombs (Lori Berd,
Vanadzor) the early
history of the region is little documented, but its prehistoric
and medieval monuments are extremely interesting. This
region was incorporated into the Russian Empire in September
1801 as part of Russia’s annexation of Georgia. Lori is home
to Haghpat and Kober
monasteries-two of Armenia’s
loveliest-and a host of other important medieval monuments, to
the spectacularly sited Lori Castle (Lori
Berd), famous
church
(dated stylistically to the first half of the 7th
c.)
and funerary monument
in Odzun,
to a pleasing
Arboretum in Gyulagarak, monastic
complexes of Sanahin,
Akhtala
and to a range of stunning landscapes. Besides the traditional
attractions, the monuments and sites that are recommended to
visit: new built,
impressive S. Astvatsatsin church in Spitak,
a ruined single-aisle
basilica of the 6-7th c. near Shenavan, cave
dwellings of the 12-17th c. near Geghasar, the
7th c. ruined Chichkhanavank monastery in Shirakamut,
7th c. S. Gevorg
church in Ghursal, Early
Iron Age fortress near Lernapat,
Berdategh ruined fort
near Bazum, church
of 1874 in Gyulagarak, a
ruined single-aisle church of the 6th c. in Hobardzi,
the 6-7th c. Jgrashen
ruined church near Vardablur, the
S. Astvatsatsin single-aisle basilica church of the 5th c. in
and the Hnevank monastery of the 7-12th c. near Kurtan,
11th c. restored
basilica church in Stepanavan, the
5-6th c. ruined S. Astvatsatsin church and 10-11th c.
fountain monument in Agarak, a
medieval bridge and the Karmir Khach church of the 13-14th c. in
Yaghdan, a
medieval cemetery housing the tomb of Prince Tute (1241) near
Hovnanadzor, a
13th c. church in Koghes, the
6-7th c. S. Gevorg or Grigor church in Sverdlov, the
famous Khuchapi Vank monastery of the 13th c. in Privolnoye,
13th c. fort ruines
and architecturally important and unique Khorakert monastery of
the 111-12th c. near Jiliza, ruines
of old fort near Medovka, the
12-13th c. church in Lernhovit, old
bridge and ruined medieval fort in Noramut, the
5-6th c. and 10th c. churches in Metsavan, the
6-5th c. BC fort near Norashen, a
ruined church and fort near Sarchapet, the
13-17th c. church with fine khachkars in Vanadzor, the
Sisi ruined fortress near Vahagnadzor, the
13-15th c. khachkars in Chkalov, basilica
church of 654, medieval cemetery with fine khachkars and
funerary pillar of the 7th c., khachkar Sirun Khach of the 13th
c., Karasun mankots Vank monastery of the 12th c. and
Bardzrakashi S. Grigori Vank monastey of the 12-13th c. in Dsegh,
khachkar of 1285 above
Marts, Ikataki
Vank monastery of 1255 near Ikatak, medieval
bridges on the Lorut river, S. Sargis church and a medieval
settlement with khachkars near Lorut, 17th
c. church and 18th c. fort near Shamut, church
in Atan, small
church in Arevatsag, church
in Tsater, traces
of an old fort and Agheg church in Karmir Agheg, the
7th c. Tsiranavor basilica and the 7-14th c. Horomayr
monastery in Odzun, a
ruined 12-13th c. church in Hagvi, S.
Hovhannes monastery of the 7-17th c. and S. Harutyun church of
the 10th c. in Ardvi, ruines
of 13-14thc. fortress and S. Nshan Vank church in Kachachkut,
S. Gevorg church and
Bgavor shrine in Akori, house-museum
of the Mikoyan brothers in Sanahin, Kayan
Berd fortress of the 13th c. and Dsevanki S. Astvatsatsin church
near Akner, Sanahin
bridge of 1192 in Alaverdi, khachkars
in Neghots, 13th
c. spring monument in Akhtala, 13th
c. cross-monument in Shamlugh, Shpotavank
church of the 17th c. in Chochkan, the
9th c. Kaytson castle, ruined single-aisle church and Terunakan
shrine of 1222 near Snogh, the
13th c. Manastefi hermitage, 10-17th c. churches and 13-14th c
Vardan Zoravar monument in Teghut. Though lacking a major resort destination, Lori’s
importance as the land transport lifeline to Georgia has
contributed to the development of a growing number of small
hotels and restaurants on the main routes N.
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