Gallery

Arch of Dreams

"The Arch of Dreams is located in the town of Jermuk, near the Mermaid's Hair Waterfall. It is a beautiful natural creation and a geological monument that locals also call the ""Arch of Fate"" or the ""Arch of Happiness."" This arch is famous for its miraculous power—legend has it that anyone who passes under it and makes a wish will see their wish come true. The arch is 30 meters long and 15 meters high."

Mount Dimats

Dimats Mountain is located in the Ijevan Mountains of the Tavush region. It is 5 km north of Teghut village in a straight line. The height of the peak is 2378 meters. Recently, hikes to Dimats Mountain have become more frequent, as it has become a popular tourist destination, greatly loved by hikers and nature enthusiasts. The unique feature of Dimats Mountain is that from its peak, there is a stunning view of the rocky wall of the Ijevan Mountains.

The Arch of Charents

The Arch of Charents monument is located in the village of Voghjaberd in the Kotayk Province, on the right side of the Yerevan-Garni road, at an elevation of about 1500 meters above sea level. The arch is also known by other names such as the Arch of Ararat or the Temple of Ararat. It is constructed externally from basalt, with its inner facing made of orange tuff stone. The monument was designed by architect Rafael Israelyan and built in 1957. While traveling to Garni, Israelyan stopped at this spot and, captivated by the stunning view of Mount Ararat, decided to build an arch—a symbolic ""temple"" to Ararat. Along the arch is engraved a famous couplet from the great Armenian poet Yeghishe Charents's poem ""To My Sweet Armenia"": “Pass through the world, no peak like Ararat will you find, Like the path to unreachable glory, I love my Mount Masis.” This is why the monument is more widely known as the Charents Arch. From a distance, the structure appears to have naturally risen with the hill, serving as a platform from which to gaze upon Mount Ararat and appreciate its majesty. Israelyan succeeded in capturing the grandeur of a colossal mountain within a modest architectural form.

Shaki Waterfall

The Shaki Waterfall is located 3 km northwest of the town of Sisian, on the Shaki River, which is a tributary of the Vorotan River. The waterfall has a height of 18 meters.

Akhtala Monastery

On a high promontory rises the Akhtala Monastery of the Holy Mother of God—one of the significant spiritual and cultural centers of its time. This area, originally called Agarak and later Pghndzahanq (Copper Mine), was known in the Middle Ages as a religious and educational center for the Chalcedonian Armenians under Georgian rule. However, the historical foundation of the monastery is rooted in the Armenian Apostolic faith, which laid the groundwork for the birth and further development of the monastic complex. The monastery is surrounded by pyramid-shaped walls built as early as the 10th century during the Kyurikian Bagratuni period. The northern entrance is a vaulted hall, attached on the east to a three-story pyramid-shaped tower. The main church of the complex, the Church of the Holy Mother of God, is located in the very center of the fortress. It has a domed structure, with double-story sacristies on either side of the altar. The dome has been destroyed over time, but its foundations, columns, and wall supports remain. The exterior façades are adorned with niches, cross-reliefs, and rich decorative stone carvings. In the monastery courtyard, a 13th-century single-nave church with a semicircular altar has been preserved, along with remnants of residential and economic buildings. Inside the monastery, the walls are entirely covered with exquisite frescoes. This artistic legacy is unique in both scope and content, depicting scenes from the Old and New Testaments—images of the Virgin Mary, John the Baptist, and numerous biblical events. Though dating to the 13th century, they have preserved their appearance and colors to this day. Only two base colors were used in the murals: vordan karmir (cochineal red) and lazurite (blue made from copper), with the rest of the tones created by blending these. The monastery was also a major center of manuscript writing. In the 13th century, Simeon Pghndzahantsi worked here, and both Armenian and Georgian literature was studied. According to Stepanos Orbelian, the ""God-received Holy Cross,"" donated by Ivane Zakarian to Noravank, was once kept here.

Lake Parz

Located in Dilijan National Park, Tavush region, at an altitude of 1,330 meters, Parz Lake is a hidden gem nestled in dense forests and is fed by natural springs. The lake is 300 meters long, 100 meters wide, with an average depth of about 3 meters and a maximum depth of 10 meters. The road to Parz Lake winds through Dilijan National Park's lush green forests. Along the way, visitors can see Armenia’s only breeding center for Caucasian deer, where the deer are raised, cared for, and released into the wild. Parz Lake is well-known for its scenic hiking trails, with the most popular route leading to Gosh Lake. This 10 km trail passes entirely through the forests of Dilijan National Park.