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Tavush Marz in the
northeastern corner of Armenia offers a wonderful range of
mountain and forest scenery sprinkled with beautifully sited
historic monasteries and fortresses, situated mainly in Agstev
river valley. Dilijan,
nearest point of entry to the Marz, is only 90 minutes from
Yerevan by good car via Lake Sevan, and is probably the best
place to stay for an extended exploration, though there are
hotels in Ijevan, Berd and Noyemberian as well.
The best-known destinations are Haghartsin,
Goshavank,
and Makaravank
monasteries
of the 11-13th c., but a series of other remote sites, particularly
the cluster of monasteries in the forest near Kirants/Acharkut,
repay with wild scenery, warm village hospitality, and adventure
the difficulty of reaching them. Jukhtak
Vank (11-13th c.) and Matosavank (13th c.) monasteries near
Dilijan, Golovino
and Redkin Lager Iron Age tombs near Dilijan, ruichned
urch of the 11-13th c. near Geghatap, Anapat-Astvatsatsin
church of the 11-13th c. and early bridge on Getik river near
Agavnavank, ruins
of church, cemetery in,
Mantash (7-9th c.) and Aghjkaberd medieval castles on hills
overlooking the Aghstev river valley near Hovk, remains
of medieval caravansaray near Ijevan, S.
Gevorg church and S. Kiraki chapel (1286) in and Budur cyclopean
fort with two 12-13th c. churches and khachkars, Tanik medieval
fort near Gandzakar, a
series of ruined 3-1 millenium BC forts (Tandzut, Berdi Glukh,
Kari Glukh, Srtner, Dashti Berd) near Navur, Kaptavank
monastery (13th c.) and cyclopean fortress of Berdakar near
Chinchin, Tavush
Fort (9-13 th c.) and traces of the 5-4th c. BC cyclopean
fortress walls and cemetery in Berd, impressive
khachkars in, S. Zoravar church and series of fortress ruins
(Mamaslu, Sprikghalacha) near Artsvaberd, S.
Hripsime Church of the 5-6th c. in and Salkari Vank fortress of
the 6-5th c. BC near Aigedzor, famous
Khoranashat monastery of the 13th c. near Chinari, cyclopean
forts of the 5-4th c. near Norashen, S.
Astvatsatsin church, S. Gevorg sacred site, Tavush and Katsaret
forts near Zavenavan, famous
Shkhmuradi Vank monastery of the 12-13 th c. and series of
cyclopean forts of the 6-5th c. (Kalkar, Sevkareri blur,
Sevkareri takht, Baghri khach) around Tsaghkavan, famous
Nor Varagavank monastery of the 12-13th c. near Varagavan,
khachkars in Paravakar,
Karmir Kar ruined
fort, churches and 10-13th c. monastery of Honut near Vazashen,
Iritsi Aghbyur
medieval settlement with church and cemetery W of Getahovit,
small church, S.
Astvatsatsin church of the 13th c., Astghi Blur cyclopean fort
of the 6-5th c. BC with huge tomb field in and Okonkhach church,
Berdategh cyclopean fortr near Yenokavan, recent
churches and abandoned medieval settlements with khachkars near
Lusadzor and Khashtarak, Moro
Dzoro or Tsrviz Vank monastery of the 5-13th c. with Tsrviz
medieval settlement and khachkars near Lusahovit, huge
oak tree legendarily planted by sparapet Vardan Mamikonian in
450 AD, used as piligrimage site E of Aknaghbyur, Srveghi
Vank monastery of the 12-13th c. and the 18th c. (Persian
period) guard tower near Aigehovit, Tmbadir
Early Armenian period fortress, ruined Nahatak church of the
17th c. with 8-7th c. BC fort, S. Hovhannes church, old
settlement with khachkars, remains of Old Achajur with medieval
fort remnants and Early Iron Age fortress of Bardzraberd around
Achajur, cyclopean
fort of the 8-7th c., ruins of Tsakageghtsi church near another
Iron Age fortress near Sarigyugh, 14th
c. church in Sevkar, Gavarzin
medieval fortress near Berkaber, S.
Hakob church and 12-13th c. khachkars in Tsaghkavan, an
early church, cemetery church of S. Astvatsatsin, medieval
Sranots bridge and caravansaray, little church and khachkar of
Khndzorut, Zayghoshani bridge with Persian inscription, a series
of famous medieval monasteries (Arakelots Vank of the 13th c.,
Kirants Vank of the 13-14th c., Deghdznuti Vank of the 13th c.,
Samsoni Vank of the 13th c.) and fortresses (Berdakar or
Mahkanaberd and Melik Abovi Berd) around Acharkut, Astvatsatsin
church of the 7th c. and the 10-11th c. castle ruins of
Upper Askipara, the 18th c. tower fort and medieval bridge,
large church remains of Lower Askipara near Voskepar,
ruined church of the
10th c. and funerary monument of the 12-13thc. in Baghanis,
the 19th c. Jujevank
monastery and the 12-13th c. small chapel, Early Bronze Age
Jaghatsategh settlement, Poloz-Gash Early Iron Age cyclopean
fort in Jujevan, remains
of Bronze Age settlement Dondar near Gomshavar, Iron
Age cyclopean forts (Berdagh, Mraghants Areguni, Tpi-Gash) near
Noyemberian, S.
Sargis pilgrimage site for the whole region near Dovegh,
Mshkavank monastery of
the 5-13th c., Berdategh, Gharanots Gol, Zikurati, and Kozmani
cyclopean forts near Koghb, large
khachkars in and a picturesque Ghalnjakar castle of the 10-11th
c. near Berdavan, S.
Hakob church, shrine and iron-working site in Archis,
Danieli Tala cyclopean
fort near Lchkadzor, Early
Bronze Age Shahlama cyclopean fortresses around Ayrum,
Shahlama 6-4th c. BC
fortress near Haghtanak are also
recommended for visit. The visit lends itself to a formidable driving circuit,
following the border to Noyemberian in the N and returning via
Akhtala, Haghpat, Sanahin, and the main Georgia-Vanadzor road.
The mountain road from Chambarak to Berd is as starkly
beautiful as any in the Mediterranean, and a splendid track
traverses high summer pastures from Yenokavan to Noyemberian.
Among the natural monuments of the Marz are: Parz
Lich lake near Dilijan and
Gay lake near Gosh.
A
remote and beautiful part of Armenia along the NE border with
Azerbaijan, the former Shamsadin district is comprised of three
deep river valleys, the Hakhum, Tavush, and Khndzorut, all
running N to the Kura in Azerbaijan from the Miapor mountain
range, with high ridges in between.
The region took its name (Arabic “sun of the faith”)
from the Turkic Shamsh-od-Dinlu tribe, its predominant occupants
in early modern times. At
the end of the 18th c., this region was claimed both by the
Kingdom of Georgia and by Javad Khan of Ganja.
Russia cheerfully espoused the Georgian claim and
occupied the district (which they called Shamshadil) in 1801,
despite occasional raids by Javad Khan's forces. A few decades
later, having meanwhile on January 2, 1804 stormed the Ganja
fortress and killed the Khan, the Russians conceded to geography
and transferred the district back to Ganja/Yelizavetpol gubernia. Though part
of Kazakh uezd,
Shamsadin ended up in Armenia in 1919.
Locals say Shamsadin has been entirely Armenian since the
1950s or before. The
region has a collection of interesting Armenian monasteries,
mostly remote and difficult of access.
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