Areni Church
Momik's 14th-century church above the wine village
- Area Vayots Dzor
- Type Religious site
- Time needed 20m
The church above Areni in Vayots Dzor is a 14th-century building attributed to the sculptor and architect Momik, set on a bluff over the Arpa valley. It is a single compact church rather than a monastery, and the stop is a short one.
Open in the planner →Getting there
Areni is roughly 107 km and about 1h 57m from Yerevan on the app's estimate, on the main road south. A steep lane climbs from the village to the church.
What you see
The carving around the west door and the window above it is the reason to climb up, with figural relief of the kind associated with Momik's work at Noravank. The interior is small, bare and partly rebuilt. From the terrace in front you look over the vineyards and the red cliffs of the Arpa gorge.
What to pair it with
Noravank is a short drive up the side valley, the Areni-1 cave is just along the main road, and the village's wineries are at the foot of the hill.
When to go
Any season, though the lane up is awkward in ice. Late afternoon light on the cliffs across the valley is the best of the day.
What is hard about it
It is a twenty-minute stop, and parts of the church have been reconstructed in a way that reads as new. The access lane is steep and narrow with little room to turn.
Common questions
How does it relate to Noravank?
Both are associated with Momik, and comparing the carving at the two is much of the interest in visiting the Areni church.
Can I drive right up to it?
There is a steep lane to a small area near the church, but it is tight. Some people park lower and walk up in ten minutes.
Is it the same as the Areni-1 cave?
No. The cave with the early winemaking finds is a separate site on the main road nearby.
Nearby
- Noravank13th-century monastery in a red cliff canyon
- Areni-1 CaveCave where the world's oldest leather shoe and winery were found
- SmbataberdRidge-top fortress high above the Yeghegis valley
- Tsakhats Kar MonasteryHillside monastery near Smbataberd
- JermukSpa town known for its mineral water, gorge and waterfall
- Spitakavor MonasteryRemote white-stone monastery in alpine meadows
More of the same kind
- Blue Mosque18th-century Persian mosque with a tiled courtyard
- St Gregory the Illuminator CathedralLargest cathedral in Armenia, consecrated in 2001
- Katoghike ChurchTiny 13th-century chapel, the oldest in central Yerevan
- Zoravor Church17th-century church in a quiet courtyard