Tour to Tsaghkadzor, Kecharis monastery, Lake Sevan, Sevanavank monastery

Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product

Stop At: Kecharis Monastery, Khachatur Kecharetsi St, Tsakhkadzor 2310 Armenia

There are people who are born under the lucky star or with the golden spoon in their hand; this is how many monasteries would think of Kecharis monastery if they came into life. Why? Being located in one of the most visited and popular resorts of Armenia, in Tsakhkadzor, Kecharis monastery is always in the limelight, and therefore never feels neglected or forgotten. Tsakhkadzor means “gorge of flowers.”

This said, it would be simply unfair not to note that the monastery is not vain treasured. It’s one of Armenia’s leading religious and cultural centers, which stands out with its architectural beauty and unique structure. It is also popular for the people who lived and worked there. Among them were Armenian linguist, scholar and public functionary Grigor Magistros Pahlavuni, Prince Vasak Khaghbakyan, poet and scribe Khachatur Kecharetsi and others.

Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Ropeway of Tsaghkadzor, Tsaghkadzor 2310, Armenia

You can't visit Tsaghkadzor and don't have a little adventure on a cable car. It does not matter which season it is. A fantastic view and emotions are guaranteed. It’s a good possibility to see the beauty of the Armenian nature and Teghenis Mountain. In the winter you can go skiing or snowboarding after reaching the top, the other seasons are full of admirable scenes․

Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Lake Sevan, Unnamed Road, Սևան, Armenia

Lake Sevan is known for its unique feature of changing its color every once in a while. Depending on the weather it can have the most various colorings of blue and green.

It’s widely accepted among Armenians to call Sevan as “Blue-Eyed Beauty”. Even if you look at the map of Armenia, Sevan will definitely remind you of one.

According to many geologists’ theories, Lake Sevan has a volcanic origin. The lake originated after igneous lava has closed three streams of Hrazdan River. This formed a huge pool. Gradually this pool was filled with water and in this way Sevan was formed.
By the way, Lake Sevan is conditionally made of two parts: larger, which is called Major Sevan and smaller and deeper one which is called Minor Sevan.
It is assumed that Major Sevan is about 1 million years old, while Minor Sevan is only 100000 years old.

Local legend also tells of how Lake Sevan got its name. Ashot II, also known as Ashot Yerkat or “Ashot the Iron,” camped on the island while fighting off Arab invaders in the 10th century. Despite local monks and fishermen joining his forces, the Armenian army was far outnumbered by the Arabs. A local fisherman advised that their best chance was to sail across the lake and attack at dawn, with the rising sun at their backs. The Arabs were blinded by the sun and the Armenians won the battle. The uniforms and blood of the fallen soldiers turned the lake black, giving it its name, “Sev,” the Armenian word for “black.”

Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Monastery Sevanavank, next the Holy Mother of God Church, Sevan Armenia

Sevanavank monastery is located on a peninsula of Lake Sevan, the church was founded by Gregory Enlightener in 305. In 301, when the King Trdat adopted Christianity as a state religion, everywhere were built Christian churches. Gregory founded the first two churches of the complex and called St. Harutyun and St. Karapet.

According to legend, Princess Mariam embarked on a mission to build 30 churches in honor of her late husband after his untimely death. She chose the location of Lake Sevan after she had a dream where the 12 apostles flew across the lake and showed her where she should build.

Duration: 1 hour