Yeritsavank Monastery

Region

Syunik

Distance from Yerevan

297.9 km

Type

Monastery/Church

Yeritsavank, one of the lesser-known monuments of the Syunik architectural school, is located about 3 km southeast of the village, on a high plateau. The monastery complex—now partially in ruins—consists of a church, a narthex, a bell tower, and a chapel. According to the 13th–14th century historian Stepanos Orbelian, the monastery was founded in the 5th century by the Metropolitan Yeritsak of Syunik. This indicates that the site had spiritual significance and was a center of religious life in the region for centuries. The main church of the complex, dedicated to St. Stephen the Protomartyr, features a unique architectural style: a single-nave, vaulted hall with open arcades. The north and south façades each include three open arches. The church is about 20 meters long and 7 meters wide and was constructed with semi-finished basalt stones. To the north, the ruins of the chapel are still visible. In the northwestern part of the monastery lies a complex of caves, one of which is associated with Metropolitan Yeritsak, who spent many years in solitude there.