Marmashen Monastery
10th-century monastery in the Akhurian valley
- Area Shirak
- Type Monastery
- Time needed 45m
Marmashen is a group of churches of the 10th and 11th centuries on the Akhurian river west of Gyumri, built in warm reddish stone. The main church is well preserved and the open valley setting is the best thing about the site.
Open in the planner →Getting there
About 137 km from Yerevan, roughly 2h 29m of driving, via the Gyumri road and then a short run out through Vahramaberd. The road goes to the site.
What you see
Three churches stand in a line on a grass terrace above the river, the largest with a tall drum and blind arcading on its facades. Foundations of a fourth round structure and scattered khachkars lie alongside. From the terrace the river valley and orchards open out below.
What to pair it with
Gyumri, with the Black Fortress and Yot Verk church, is twenty minutes away; Harichavank is a sensible second monastery.
When to go
Spring and early summer, when the valley is green, or autumn. Shirak is cold and exposed in winter and there is no shelter here.
What is hard about it
There is almost no shade and the wind off the plateau can be strong. It is a 45-minute stop, so pair it with Gyumri rather than driving out for it alone.
Common questions
Who built it?
It is a foundation of the Armenian nobility of the Bagratid period, built in stages across the 10th and 11th centuries. Specific attributions vary between sources.
Is there an entrance fee?
None has normally been charged. [VERIFY — confirm current details]
Can I get down to the river?
Yes, paths lead down from the terrace, and locals use the riverside for picnics. It is a short but steep scramble.
Nearby
- Harichavank7th-century monastery near Artik
- Holy Saviour's ChurchGyumri's landmark church, restored after the 1988 quake
- Yot Verk Church19th-century church on Vardanants Square
- Black FortressRound 19th-century Russian fort above Gyumri
- Yereruyk Basilica5th-century basilica near the Turkish border
- Lake ArpiHighland lake and national park famed for birdlife
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