Tatev Monastery

About this place

A ninth-century monastery standing on the edge of a basalt plateau above the deep Vorotan River gorge in southern Armenia, its walls and stone churches overlooking the drop and the mountains, counted among the most spectacular religious and historic sites in the Caucasus. In the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries Tatev was home to one of the most important Armenian universities of the Middle Ages, teaching philosophy, theology, science and the arts, with hundreds of monks and students, and was the spiritual and political centre of the region. The monastery has the main church with its old frescoes, a unique ninth-century swinging stone column that tilted during earthquakes to warn the monks, an old oil press, halls and defensive towers. The walls give an astonishing view over the gorge. Entry is free. Most visitors arrive on the Wings of Tatev cable car over the gorge, or by the mountain road. It is about four hours' drive from Yerevan, so staying overnight in the area is best.