Sevan-Sevan Monastery-Dilijan-Haghhartsin-Goshavanq

Lake Sevan, known in the ancient times as the Geghama Sea, is the "blue-eyed beauty" of Armenia. Being one of the biggest highland freshwater lakes in the world it is 1900 m above sea level. It was formed as a result of volcanic activity in the Geghama mountain range: the erupted lava blocked the riverbed; and melted ice from ice-houses and river water began to accumulate in the formed hollow. Later the flow of water cut through the reservoir wall in the direction of river Hrazdan.   In 1938, after the adoption of a decision to use the lake water for hydroenergy, irreversible damage was caused to the lake: resulting from the lowering of the level of water its composition and oxygen balance changed, many fish species were irretrievably lost and Sevan Island turned into a peninsula connected with the land by an emerged shoal. Now Sevan Peninsula, with its two 9th century churches adding a romantic touch it, is the best place to admire the beauty of the lake.

Sevanavank is a monastery located on the northwestern shore of Lake Sevan in the eastern Armenian province of Gegharkunik, not far from the town of Sevan. According to an inscription in one of the churches, it was founded in 874 AD by princess Mariam, the daughter of Ashot who became a king a decade later. At the time, Armenia was still struggling to free itself from the Arab rule. The two main churches, Sourb Arakelots (Holy Apostoles) and Sourb Astvatsatsin (Mother of God), remain both cross shaped with octagonal tambours and quite similar in appearance. Initially the monastery was built at the southern shore of a small island. After artificial draining of the Lake Sevan the water level fell about 20 meters and the island transformed into a peninsula. Due to easier accessibility, good highway and railway connections with Yerevan and the picturesque location Sevanavank is one of the most visited sites in Armenia.

In the north-eastern part of Armenia, at the meeting-point of the three picturesque valleys, on the banks of impetuous river Aghstev is the resort of Dilijan. Its vast territory occupies the woody gorges of the Aghstev basin and its two tributaries. The cliffy mountain slopes and peaks, deep gorges and splendid primeval forests stun with their beauty. An Armenian saying states: "If paradise had mountains, forests and springs, it would look like Dilijan".   The town is 1250-1500 m above sea level, 110 km away from Yerevan. Dilijan and its surrounding territory is a national preserve bordered by the Minor Caucasus mountain ranges covered with deciduous and coniferous forests. The woody-mountainous climate with light breezes, almost permanent moderate relative humidity of about 65 percent, warm winter and cool summer make this resort very popular. The clean mountain air is filled with the healing scent of pine-trees. Dilijan is rich with mineral springs as well, the quality of which is close to those of Borjomi water in Georgia and Vichi in France. In the outskirts of Dilijan are the masterpieces of Armenian architecture, the Haghartsin and Goshavank monasteries.

The Haghartsin Monastery, built in the X-XIII cc, is situated 18 km away from the town of Dilijan, in the woody valley of Ijevan mountain range. During the Silver Age, the monastery was a major center of Armenian church architecture and ranked among the leading cultural hearths of medieval Armenia. For 3 centuries subsequent generations of masonry masters added their brilliant creative work to the general ensemble.   St. Astvatsatsin, the main cathedral was built in 1281. A noteworthy part of the complex is the refectory consisting of two halls. One should go to the Haghartsin Monastery for the sake of the unusual feeling of idyllic calm hanging over this place cut from the outer world.

To the north of Lake Sevan is one of the greatest Armenian monasteries, Goshavank. Built in 1191 in the place of the Getik Church destroyed by an earthquake, the monastery became Armenia's biggest cultural center in the 13th century due to its legendary abbot Mkhitar Gogh after whom the monastery is named now. Gosh was a fabulist, an erudite person and a legalist. He developed and wrote down his own vision of universal order, which served as a basis for the code of laws adopted in Armenia.   One of the best and most famous khachkars (cross-stones) in Armenia is in the Goshavank Monastery. It dates back to 1291 and stuns with its splendid sharp-cut shapes. Carved from monolithic tuff, from a distance it looks like lace or huge clay filigree, however a closer look reveals that every inch of its patterned surface is hewn from stone. It's a peculiar Gordian knot from stone.