Tsakhats Kar Monastery
Hillside monastery near Smbataberd
- Area Vayots Dzor
- Type Monastery
- Time needed 45m
Tsakhats Kar is a monastery on a hillside above the Yeghegis valley, in two separate groups of buildings a short distance apart. It is quiet, partly ruined and usually combined with the climb to Smbataberd on the opposite slope.
Open in the planner →Getting there
It is about 110 km and roughly two hours from Yerevan on the app's estimate, up the Yeghegis valley from the main southern road. The final approach is a rough track that may need walking.
What you see
The upper group has two churches standing with their drums intact, surrounded by khachkars and grave slabs in long grass. The lower group is more ruinous, with walls and vaults collapsed. The hillside setting, with the fortress ridge across the valley, carries much of the visit.
What to pair it with
Smbataberd is directly opposite and the two are routinely paired, with the Yeghegis Jewish cemetery and village churches close by.
When to go
Late spring to autumn, when the track is dry and the meadows are in flower. Snow blocks the approach in winter.
What is hard about it
The track in is poor and the two groups of buildings require some walking between them on uneven ground. There is no signage or interpretation, and the ruins need an interest in Armenian monastic architecture to hold attention for long.
Common questions
Is Tsakhats Kar reachable by ordinary car?
Not reliably. The last stretch is rough and often needs high clearance, otherwise expect to walk the final part.
How does it compare with Smbataberd?
It is the gentler half of the day: less climbing, more standing architecture, and a quieter atmosphere.
Are the churches open?
They are unlocked ruins rather than functioning churches, so there are no set hours. [VERIFY — confirm current details]
Nearby
- Noravank13th-century monastery in a red cliff canyon
- Areni-1 CaveCave where the world's oldest leather shoe and winery were found
- Areni ChurchMomik's 14th-century church above the wine village
- SmbataberdRidge-top fortress high above the Yeghegis valley
- JermukSpa town known for its mineral water, gorge and waterfall
- Spitakavor MonasteryRemote white-stone monastery in alpine meadows
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