Haghpat Monastery

About

Haghpat Monastery was founded around 976 by Queen Khosrovanush, and along with the nearby Sanahin Monastery, flourished during the prosperous era of the Kiurikian dynasty from the 10th to 13th century. Its location amidst a mountain cirque makes it frequently enveloped in clouds, adding to its mystical ambiance. Once a hub of scientific knowledge, Haghpat Monastery housed a vast collection of manuscripts and featured facilities for copying, studying, and preserving them. The monastery provided an environment for monks to delve into various fields of study, among sculptural images and frescoes, the remarkable main church of St. Nishan, St. Gregory Church, the small dome church of St. Astvatsatsin, the belfry, and khachkars. The architecture of Haghpat Monastery represents a unique blend of Byzantine ecclesiastical architecture and the traditional architecture of the Caucasus region.