Hovhannavank
Canyon-edge monastery with carved portals
- Area Aragatsotn
- Type Monastery
- Time needed 45m
Hovhannavank occupies the edge of the Kasakh canyon at Ohanavan, north-west of Yerevan. An older basilica adjoins the main medieval church, and the carved west portal and tympanum are the best reason to stop.
Open in the planner →Getting there
The site is roughly 29 km and about 32 minutes from Yerevan on the app's estimate, reached on a straightforward road through Ashtarak. A village lane leads to the gate.
What you see
The main attraction is the stonework at the west entrance, where a carved relief fills the tympanum above the door. Inside, the gavit is wide and low with a stone floor of worn gravestones, and the adjoining basilica is markedly older and simpler. Behind the complex the ground falls straight into the Kasakh gorge.
What to pair it with
Saghmosavank is a short drive upstream on the same canyon, and Karmravor church in Ashtarak is a brief detour on the way back.
When to go
Good at any time of year, with softer light and fewer coaches early in the day. Parts of the monastery have been repaired, so expect some scaffolding or new-looking stone depending on when you arrive.
What is hard about it
Restoration work has left some surfaces looking distinctly new next to the medieval fabric. It also gets more tour-group traffic than its neighbours, and there is little shade in the courtyard.
Common questions
What is the single thing to look at here?
The carved tympanum over the west door of the main church, which is among the better pieces of relief carving on an accessible Armenian monastery.
Is the monastery still in use?
Yes, it functions as a church, so services may restrict access inside at certain hours.
Is it suitable for someone with limited mobility?
Mostly. The approach is level, though there are thresholds and uneven stone floors inside the gavit.
Nearby
- Amberd FortressCliff-top fortress on the slopes of Mount Aragats
- SaghmosavankMonastery on the rim of the Kasakh canyon
- Tegher MonasteryAustere 13th-century monastery on Aragats
- Mount AragatsArmenia's highest peak, with Lake Kari below the summits
- Byurakan ObservatorySoviet-era observatory founded by Viktor Ambartsumian
- Karmravor ChurchTiny 7th-century church with original roof tiles
More of the same kind
- Geghard MonasteryPartly carved into the rock face, a UNESCO World Heritage site
- Havuts TarRuined monastery reached by a hike across the Azat gorge
- Kecharis Monastery11th-century complex in the ski town of Tsaghkadzor
- Aghjots MonasteryMonastery tucked into the Khosrov forest edge