Ashtarak- Karmravor Church-Saghmosavanq-Ohanavan-Oshakan
Ashtarak, the administrative center of Aragatsotn Marz, is situated near the picturesque gorge of the river Kasakh. The famous Byurakan Observatory and the Nor-Amberd Cosmic Ray Station of the Yerevan Institute of Physics are on the territory of Aragatsotn Marz. Ashtarak is a historical site with many architectural monuments from earlier and later periods of Middle Ages. Among them the most notable are the basilica of Tsiranavor, the Karmravor Church, the ancient three-arch bridge over Kasakh and so on. There's another important reason why Ashtarak is considered a historical site. It's the centuries old tradition of wine culture developing in severe land conditions. Ashtarak and its outskirts are a land of stone. However, wonderful dry wines, brandies and the best Armenian sherry owe their birth to this very land of Ashtarak.
Saghmosavank (i.e. Psalm Monastery) is situated in the Ashtarak region, to the north of Mughni. The monastery was built in the 12th-13th cc by the Vachutians and consists of 4 buildings: the main church, St. Zion, the vestibule, the Blessed Virgin with the book depository and a small chapel. The monastery was strongly damaged during the 1988 earthquake and rehabilitation works were carried out during the period of 1998-2000.
The Hovhannavank Monastery is situated in the village of the same name in the Aragatsotn Marz. The foundation of the monastery dates back to the 5th century, however later on it was reconstructed several times. The main church was built later, during 1212-1221 by Vache Vachutian, while the adjacent chapel was built by his son Kurd Vachutian. The bas-relief over the entrance to the main church is of great interest: it pictures Christ and "wise and unwise virgins".
Several kilometers away from Ashtarak is the village of Oshakan. The first records of Oshakan date back to the 5th century: in 440 Prince Amatuni organized the burial of the remains of the great enlightener Mesrop Mashtots, the inventor of the Armenian alphabet and built a chapel on his grave, on the place of which the St. Mesrop Church was built later, in the 19th century. Every year in September school children learn the first letter of the Armenian alphabet in this very church, after a solemn oath at Mesrop Mashtots' grave. This place in Oshakan is one of the most visited sites in Armenia.
