|
Vayots Dzor is one of the most scenic and historically interesting regions of
Armenia, centered on the watershed of the Arpa River
and its tributaries before they flow SW into Nakhichevan to join the Arax river. Mountainous and sparsely populated, Vayots Dzor (by popular
etymology “the Gorge of Woes”) is crowded with medieval monasteries, forts,
caves, and camping spots. The
uplands have potential hiking/horseback/mountain bike tracks.
There are trout in the streams, and wild sheep, bear (protected) and
smaller game in the mountains. The
marz capital is Yeghegnadzor, a 90-120 minute drive from Yerevan over the
usually well-paved N-S highway. Day trips from Yerevan are easy and rewarding. The
earliest historically recorded settlement in Vayots Dzor was at Moz, near
Malishka, and there are scattered remains of Bronze and Early Iron Age
graveyards and “cyclopean” forts (built of large, unworked boulders, as if
by Cyclopes) elsewhere. The region
flourished most mightily in the 13th-14th centuries, when
a series of gifted and pious local rulers managed to coexist with the Mongols
and other passing empires. In 1604,
the region was depopulated when Shah Abbas of Persia, fighting a series of
fierce campaigns against the Ottomans in and over Armenia, forcibly relocated
much of the Armenian community to Persia, both to strengthen his own domain
economically and to leave scorched earth for the Turks. In
1828, with the Russian conquest, thousands of Armenians emigrated from Persia or
Eastern Turkey to resettle the region. Important destinations in Vayos
Dzor
include Astvatsatsin
church of 1321 in Areni,
9-13th
c. Karkopi or Khotakerats ("grass-eaters") monastery
in Khachik,
13th
c. Aghjkaberd fort, S. Astvatsatsin Church of 12th
c., with funerary monument of 1009, ruined caravansaray-all in
Aghavnadzor area, Noravank
Monastery of 13-14th
c., 13thc.
fort of Ertij in Arpi,
medieval Vardablur fortress
in Gnishik,
Shativank
monastery in Shatin of 10-17th
c.,
9th c. fortress of Smbatabert,
and Tsakhats
Kar ruined monastery of the 9-10th c. in Artabuynk, Monastery of
9-10th
c.
in Artabuynk,
Chibukh Kyorpi bridge
of the 14th c. and the tomb of Chesar Orbelian in Hors,
khachkar of 1251
in Taratumb,
ruines of the 13th c.
Mamasi Vank monastery near Karaglukh,
ruined Lernantsk
caravansaray and the 13-14th c. Selim caravansaray as well as
the ruines of the medieval Kapuyt berd fortress near Aghnjadzor,
scant remains of
medieval Hostun city ruined by volcano and earthquake,
khachkars commemorating Orbelian family of the 12-13th c.,
church of S. Karapet and S. Zorats Cathedral churches of the
13-14th c.,
Jewish cemetery in and ruines of Gulum Bulaghi Vank monastery of
the 13th c. near Yeghegis, monastic
center of Hermoni Vank of the 9-17th c near Hermon, Arates
Vank monastery of the 7-13th c. near Arates, huge
khachkar in Vardahovit, remains
of Getikvank and Koturvank monasteries of the 10-13th c. near
Getikvank, artificial
cave sites in Goghtanik, fortified
mound surronded by a cyclopean wall in Yeghegnadzor, remains
of Vardani berd fortress of the 9th c. near Gladzor, S.Hakob
church of the 17th c. converted into a museum for the Gladzor
university in,
Tanahati Vank (actual site of the Gladzor university) and Arkazi
S. Khach Vank monasteries of the 9-13th c. and Spitakavor S.
Astvatsatsin church of the 14th c.,
as well as Proshaberd or Boloraberd fortress of the 13th c. near
Vernashen, 13th
c. bridge on Arpa river,
abandoned site of Erdes with ruined medieval castle and small
church near Agarakadzor, remains
of the Moz city ruined by volcano and earthquake in the 8th c.,
Bronze Age burial ground,
an early fort and church of the 7th c. near Malishka,
modern S. Trdat
church and Paskevich bridge in Vayk, ruines
of Smbataberd castle in Azatek, 13th
c. khachkars in Zaritap,
Large Khachkar of
1283, as well as khachkars of the 10-13th c. and rock-cut S.
Astvatsatsin church of 1286 in Martiros,
medieval
cemetery in Akhta with ram and other animal-shaped tombstones,
important
shrine/khachkar of
1263
in Gomk,
khachkars and
inscriptions of the 10-15th c. in Kapuyt, S.
Sion monastery of the 8-13th c.,
S. Gevorg or Chiki Vank church of 1297 in and Kapuyt Berd
fortress near Herher, carved votive to Saints Peter
and Paul,
set up by
Prince Elikum Orbelian in in 1291 in Karmrashen,
Gndevank monastery of
the 10-17th c. and 11th c. water channel near Gndevaz,
7th c., 13th c. and
late medieval churches, medieval bridge in Kechut, hot
springs of famous fizzy water, picturesque waterfall and rock
formations in Jermuk, 18th
c. bridge and cemetery with 10-15th c. khachkars in Artavan,
17 th c. church and
medieval gravestones in Saravan.
|
