!!!Armenia-Part 2
!!!Armenia: Beauty in the Stone

Photos by Sergey Semenov,
Max Nasekin, and Yury Kravtsov,
members of the [AirPano Team|Geography/About/Consortium/AirPano,_Team] that is a member of the [global-geography consortium |Geography/About/Consortium] with kind permission of [AirPano|http://www.AirPano.com]
12 November 2021\\


Armenia is often referred to as the "country of stones". Stones create
the local landscape, and stones have also inspired masters to create
unique and magnificent architectural masterpieces. Buildings are
perfectly adapted to the surrounding nature, one can see it in the case
of Noravank Monastery situated in the south-western part of Armenia near
the settlement of Yeghegnadzor. This monastery complex was founded at
the beginning of the 13th century and now stands on the edge of a cliff
in a twisted gorge with steep red rock formations. Two main temples,
Surb Astvatsatsin and Surb Karapet churches, both repeatedly suffered in
earthquakes but were eventually reconstructed in all their splendour.
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Tatev Monastery was built on a cliff, as well, but considerably earlier
— at the end of the 9th or beginning of the 10th century, in the waning
days of the Arab rule. Poghos and Petros church bore witness to the
revived Armenian kingdom. Within its walls, there is also the tomb of
Grigor Tatevatsi: the last canonized saint of the Armenian Apostolic
Church.

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When the terrain does not allow the construction of the houses, there is
another way to create dwellings! An example is the cave settlement of
Old Khndzoresk in the Goris Municipality in the southern part of the
country. As early as by the 13th century, a whole network of
"apartments" had appeared inside the rocks with picturesque terraces and
lush gardens located nearby. Until the middle of the 20th century,
people lived here but afterwards, the city was deserted and has remained
a monument to the ingenuity and skill of the ancient inhabitants of this
mountainous region.

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One can admire Old Khndzoresk from another perspective while standing on
an unusual bridge. This is a completely new landmark: in 2012, it was
built by one of the local businessmen in memory of his parents. The
swinging bridge Khndzoresk with a length of 120 meters connects two
slopes of the gorge at a height of 63 meters. Although the structure
looks fragile and airy, it can handle 700 people at a time.
And another fascinating place in this area is the stone pyramids and
pillars. Somehow, they did not come up with a name but in Armenia, they
are well known as "nameless stone sculptures of Goris". The hill seems
to bristle up, exposing the needles out — such an amazing sight!

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In this part of the country, there is also the site of the "Army of
Stones", Carahunge (also called Zorats Karer). That's how the name of
this ancient site, lying at the altitude of 1,779 meters, is derived
from Armenian words. Another name for this monument is the "speaking
stones". In the Bronze Age, there was a settlement nearby, but
scientists still argue about the age and purpose of the mysterious
circle.

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There are also a lot of clean mountain springs and waterfalls in
Armenia. One of them is Jermuk, falling along the slopes of the Vardenis
mountain range. With its height of 68 meters, it is the second-highest
waterfall in the country. It is a national natural monument, and not
just because of its beauty but of its springs producing high-quality
mineral water.

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Nearby, the waters of the Arpa River flow along 128 km. Noravank
Monastery is located in one of its numerous gorges! This whole area is
exceptionally picturesque, and especially in the Jermuk region. And the
most famous aquatic wealth of the country is Lake Sevan.

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It covers an area of 1,240 square kilometres at an altitude of 1,900
meters and is surrounded by mountain ranges. Its coastal relief is
diverse: it is covered with forests, and white stone cliffs, and
mountain steppes, and wild pebble beaches. The major man-made attraction
is the Sevanavank monastery on the northwestern coast. It was built on a
small island in 874, and is now located on a peninsula: when the water
level fell, an isthmus appeared here. The monastery went through hard
times and was destroyed several times but, in the 20th century, it was
partially restored. Now it is a functioning monastery with two
magnificent temples.

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There are several medieval cemeteries on the shore of Sevan. This is not
just a tribute to the memory of ancestors: it is also a pearl of
Armenian cultural heritage. Burial steles are called "khachkars'':
sacred items specific to Armenia. Their name translates as "cross in the
stone". Each khachkar is decorated with unique crafty patterns.
All the monuments of Armenia do not resemble each other. They are
different but, at the same time, they are united by belonging to the
history of this great country. We hope you enjoyed your AirPano photo
journey to these places!

\\ \\
[ Panoramas of Armenia-Part 2|Geography/Asia/Armenia/Pictures/armenia-2]

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