Two churches
Above the water.
Diego Delso — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Diego Delso — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Marcin Konsek — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Diego Delso — CC BY-SA 4.0
A small ninth-century monastery on a hilltop peninsula on the north shore of Lake Sevan, with two dark basalt churches standing above the blue water, one of the most beautiful and most photographed views in Armenia. The monastery was founded by an Armenian princess in 874, when the site was a true island in the middle of the lake, until the water level dropped by about twenty metres in the Soviet era as the lake was drawn down for irrigation and hydropower, joining the island to the shore as a peninsula. Visitors climb a long stone stairway from the car park to the top of the hill, past stalls selling souvenirs and crafts. The top gives a panoramic view of the whole lake and the surrounding mountains, and carved Armenian cross-stones stand on the side of the hill. Entry is free; the monastery is an active place of worship, so modest dress is required. The wind on the hilltop is often strong and cold, and early morning or just before sunset is best for photographs.
Above the water.
To the top.
Over the whole lake.
Sevan peninsula, north shore of Lake Sevan
The lake level fell in the Soviet era when water was drawn off for irrigation and power, joining it to the shore.
