The fortress gate
Way into the upper yard.
H-dayan — CC BY-SA 4.0 · H-dayan — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Marcin Konsek — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Marcin Konsek — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Beko — CC BY-SA 4.0
Akhtala Monastery is a fortified 10th-century complex in the town of Akhtala in Lori Province, 185 km north of Yerevan and 87 km south of Tbilisi. It is also known as the «Coppermine Monastery» and stands inside a stone fortress that is among the best preserved in Armenia. Stone tombs from the 8th century BC have been found in the area, which was known as Agarak in the 5th century. The Kiurikids built the fortress in the late 10th century, probably on older foundations, and it played a major part in protecting the northwest. The prince Ivane Zakarian commissioned the main church's wall paintings between 1205 and 1216. Through the fortress gate you reach a broad yard on a rocky spur, with the great church at its centre, ringed by walls and towers. The monastery is no longer active but remains a place of visit, and the church's inner walls are covered with famous paintings. From the walls you can see the valley and slopes around it. It is 7.7 km in a straight line from Haghpat and 10.8 km from Sanahin, so it completes a day in Lori or makes a stop on the road between Yerevan and Tbilisi. Ask at the gate about entry times and fees. Dress modestly, keep your voice down in the church and wear shoes suited to the fortress slopes.
Way into the upper yard.
At the centre of the walls.
Views over the valley.
Akhtala town, Lori Province, northern Armenia
The town's original Armenian name means copper mine, giving the monastery its old name.
Yes, it can be a stop on the road between Yerevan and Tbilisi.