Horomayr Monastery

Horomayr Monastery is located not far from the village of Odzun in the Lori Province and consists of two groups of monuments — the Lower and the Upper. The Lower group is situated at the foot of a cliff, while the Upper one is located at the edge of the gorge in an elevated position, which is why it is also known as the “Monastery at the Edge of the Gorge.” The Upper group consists of two adjoining churches, a narthex, and an adjacent cemetery. The southern church, also known as Tsiranavor St. Nshan, was built in 1206 through the efforts of Bishop Samuel and the monastic community. It is a single-nave basilica with a vaulted roof, built from bluish basalt. An inscription commemorating the construction is preserved on the semicircular arch of the northern entrance, and the name of the master builder, Grigor the Mason, is engraved on the lintel of the eastern window. The northern church and its simultaneously constructed narthex date to the mid-13th century. The northern church is also a single-nave vaulted structure, built of finely hewn yellow-brown felsite. Its entrance is on the north side and opens directly into the narthex. The outer western wall is decorated with cross motifs.