Surrounded by amazing forests and hills Goshavank Monastery is located in the village of Gosh, 15 km east of Dilijan resort city. This pearl of Armenian architecture used to be one of the exceptional universities in the Middle Ages. Goshavank is a unique monastic complex in its style, it includes all the merits of medieval architecture. It should be noted that the buildings of the monastic complex are in harmony with the luxurious nature of the place.
The well-established transport infrastructure of Armenia allows to get to Goshavank monastery by a private car or with the help of various travel companies which offer regular excursions and tours to different sights of the country. Due to the geographical location of Goshavank monastery the trip will not seem long.
The high season in Armenia lasts for a long time due to the pleasant climate conditions. Warm days in Armenia start in March and last until late autumn; winter is usually snowless and not long. The high precipitation season is variable. The tourist season for Goshavank monastery depends on the weather conditions.
There is an interesting legend associated with the name "Gosh". Once, God appeared to Mkhitar Gosh in a dream and told him that there would be seven prosperous and fertile years, but after that a terrible drought would follow. So God warned Mkhitar that barns should be built in the monastery and filled up with grain and wheat during prosperous years. When the drought came, Mkhitar took a large basket - "gush", filled it with grain and wheat and began giving it to people, who thus escaped from starving. That is why Mkhitar got his middle name Gosh.
Originally, the monastery was named Nor Getik, but later, after the death of Mkhitar Gosh (1213), the complex was renamed Goshavank.
The khachkars created by the carver Pavgos in Goshavank stand out among the rest. The best of them is a 1291 khachkar with the maker's name carved in the bottom left star, which is one of the most intricate examples in existence. The finely carved lacy ornaments are arranged in layers in which the basic elements of the composition — a cross on a shield-shaped rosette and eight-pointed Starr filling the corners of the middle-cross section—show clearly. The intricate openwork ornaments vary — a clear-cut geometrical pattern constitutes the background, and the accentuating elements form a complicated combination of a floral and geometrical ornament which never repeats itself.
LAKE GOSH
12 km
HAGHARTSIN MONASTERY
20 km
LAKE PARZ
33 km
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