Makaravank
Richly carved monastery high in the forest
- Area Tavush
- Type Monastery
- Time needed 45m
Makaravank stands high in forest above Achajur in Tavush, a monastery of the 10th to 13th centuries built in reddish and greenish stone. Its reputation rests on the carving, which is unusually dense and inventive for an Armenian church interior.
Open in the planner →Getting there
About 144 km from Yerevan, roughly 2h 37m of driving, via Dilijan and Ijevan and then a winding climb from Achajur. The last stretch is narrow but surfaced.
What you see
The altar dais and the stone around the sanctuary are covered with geometric and figural ornament, including birds, fish and interlace, which is the thing to look at properly. Outside there are three churches of different dates, a gavit and the remains of a wall, with carved tympana over the doorways. The terrace in front gives a long view north over the lowlands.
What to pair it with
It pairs with Ijevan, Lake Parz and the monasteries around Dilijan on a Tavush loop.
When to go
Spring and autumn are pleasant; in winter the climb can be icy. Light inside the churches is poor, so midday is better for seeing the carving.
What is hard about it
The drive up is slow and the final kilometres feel longer than the distance suggests. The interior is dark, and without a torch much of the detail that makes the place notable is hard to see.
Common questions
Why is the carving significant?
The ornament on and around the altar platform is more varied and more deeply cut than in most Armenian churches of the period, with motifs that rarely appear elsewhere.
Is the road suitable for a hire car?
Yes in normal conditions. It is narrow with tight bends, so allow more time than the distance implies.
Are there facilities?
Expect nothing beyond a parking area. Buy food and water in Ijevan or Achajur.
Nearby
- Haghartsin MonasteryMonastery complex set deep in beech forest
- Goshavank12th-century monastery with an exquisite khachkar
- Dilijan National ParkForested park known as "Armenian Switzerland"
- Lake ParzForest lake with walking trails near Dilijan
- Nor VaragavankForest monastery above Varagavan
- JukhtakvankPair of churches in the woods near Dilijan
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