UNDER CONSTRUCTION

   From Artsvaberd,  the road descends to the Khndzorut River. Turning right on the bumpy dirt road leads up the river to a military post at a reservoir. Reportedly, a bad jeep track continues SW beyond the roadblock through walnut groves, ultimately to join the Krasnosyelsk road. Turning left toward Aigezdor,   after   2.5 km   a   rough   dirt

   Continuing    N,    one    reaches    the village of Chinari, visible from which to the NE is Khoranashat Vank of 1211-20, with a gavit of 1222. Because of occasional sniping incidents, it is advisable to check with villagers before visiting the monastery (bear right through the village, then follow the       dirt       road     left       and      up).

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

track drops right across the Khndzorut to follow the Akhinja (or Hakhinja) tributary upstream to a little picnic area with a 1986 monument to General Andranik and the Fedayi. The track presumably continues to Azerbaijan, not recommended at this time. Continuing NE along the Khndzorut, one reaches Aigedzor, (until 1939 Ghulali) has S. Hripsime Church of the 5-6^th c. in the village below the school. NE of the village atop the mountain named for Salkari Vank is a 6-4^th c. fortress. There are also remains of  Yereg Vank Berd medieval fortress, also called Kzkalasi, a refuge during various medieval invasions.

Per Dr. Robert Bedrosian, the 13th century Kirakos Gandaketsi studied here under one of Mkhitar Gosh's students, the historian Yovhannes Vanakan (d. 1251). "When the Khwarazmian sultan Jalal al-Din ravaged Xoranashat in 1225, Vanakan fled with his students to a nearby cave, near the village of Lorut, south of Tawush. He continued teaching there until 1236 when a Mongol army under Molar-noyin occupied Tawush. Both Vanakan and Kirakos were taken captive by the Mongols and kept as secretaries for several months. Eventually, Vanakan was ransomed by the Christians of Gag for eighty dahekans, and Kirakos escaped secretly the same night.". In the vicinity of Chinari there are reportedly shrines of the 13-17^th c., and 1^st millenium BC graves.