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Photo: via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Part of the same UNESCO site as Sanahin, you'll have a hard time choosing a favourite. The labyrinth of passages, chambers, khachkars and views will leave you wondering how this masterpiece was built. A combined UNESCO world heritage site, these two monasteries sit on top of opposite sides of the Debed Canyon and have vied for first place with one another ever since the beginning. Both are gems, with extensive grounds, buildings and each with a bell tower. Haghpat has a colored khachkar famous for depicting Jesus - highly uncommon among khachkars, and has half-buried buildings.
Haghpat Monastery, also known as Haghpatavank, is a medieval Armenian monastery complex in Haghpat, Armenia, built between the 10th and 13th century.
© OpenStreetMap contributors
Ruins of a small black fortress built in 1233.
Local hiking guides able to show you some of the hidden trails of the Alaverdi countryside.
Artyom Mikoyan was a famous aeronautical engineer and designed the aircraft of the Mikoyan-Gurevich fighter series (MiG parked out front), while his brother Anastas become Premier of the USSR. The price includes a guided tour in English (translated folders in German, French and Spanish are also available at the museum).
UNESCO World Heritage site, and for good reason. This wonderland of incredibly well preserved Armenian architecture has stood for almost a thousand years, with little change. You can sense how the place must have buzzed with activity. Sayat Nova, the famous bard, used to sing here. The name literally means "older than that one", referring to Haghpat. This is due to the competition between those two monasteries. However, both originate from pretty much from the same time. Sanahin has a round library building that the groundskeeper can show you, with exquisite carvings. You can take a cable car from the main highway up to Sanahin village, and walk to the monastery (20 min) if you prefer. You will pass the Migoyan Museum on the way up.