Sevan Lake - Sevanavank - Noratus - Hayravank Monastery

Lake Sevan

The pearl of Armenia - Lake Sevan! Coming to Armenia and not visiting Sevan, not admiring its enchanting beauty, not visiting the churches on the top of the Sevan peninsula, not swimming (or, if it's not the season, at least washing with lake water), not tasting Sevan fish cooked over coals and crayfish kebab made from crayfish necks is at least criminal. It is worth noting that this is the largest lake in the Caucasus, as well as one of the largest high-altitude fresh lakes on Earth, second only to Lake Titicaca in terms of freshwater resources.

Noratus

The old town of Noraduz in Armenia is not far from the gorgeous alpine lake Sevan (Noratus). According to scholars, this is the site of the world's greatest collection of Armenian khachkars and, possibly, the oldest Armenian cemetery in general. After all, the earliest khachkar in the Noraduz village graveyard is said to date from the 5th century AD. Consider the following: 1600 years!

Hayravank

The monastery complex of Hayravank IX-XIII centuries is located on the rocky promontory of Lake Sevan, on the northern outskirts of the village of Hayravank. The church and the narthex were saved. The Church of St. Stepanos of this century is a cruciform four-domed building with a central dome. The earliest of the lapidary inscriptions dates back to 1211.

Sevanavank

Sevan Monastery or Sevanavank is located on the Sevan Peninsula (formerly the island), founded by Grigor I the Enlightener in 305. In 874, the daughter of King Ashot Bagratuni, the wife of Prince Vasak Gabur Mariam, built two churches here-Srbots Arakelots (the Great) and St. John Karapet. At the eastern meeting of the drum of the Arakelots church, an inscription written in 874 has been preserved. To the southeast, near St.Etchmiadzin Church of St. John Karapet has the same structure.