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Photo: Камалян001 at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
This portion of the Garni Gorge is typically referred to as the "Symphony of the Stones". All along the sides of the gorge are vertical cliff walls of well preserved basalt columns. It is well worth the walk
The Garni Gorge is a river gorge carved by the Azat river in Kotayk Province, Armenia. It is situated 23.3 kilometres (14.5 mi) east of Yerevan, Armenia, south of the village of the same name. The Garni Gorge is protected by law and listed as a natural monument. On a promontory above the gorge, the first-century AD Temple of Garni may be seen. The Garni Temple was built by King Tiridates I as a temple to the sun god Mihr (Mithra). Along the sides of the gorge are cliff walls of well-preserved hexagonal basalt columns, formed by ancient volcanic activity and slow cooling. This portion of the Garni Gorge is typically referred to as the "Symphony of the Stones" or the "Basalt Organ". It is most easily reached via a road that leads left down the gorge just before reaching the temple of Garni. Another road leads to the gorge through the village, down a cobblestone road, and into the valley. Once in the valley, turning right will lead to Garni Gorge, an 11th-century medieval bridge, and the "Symphony of the Stones". Taking a left will lead along the river past a fish hatchery, up to the Khosrov Forest State Reserve, and a little further Havuts Tar Monastery.
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Khonarvats
4th-5th centuries church which now lay in ruins.
Temple complex perched above the canyon of the Azat river. Its centrepiece is the Hellenistic temple built in the 1st C BC - this was smashed by an earthquake in 1679 but reconstructed in the 1970s. Also here are the medieval main gate and fortifications, the circular foundations of a church built in 897 AD, walls of a two-storey royal summer palace built by the Urartians in the 8th C BC, a Roman-era bath house, and a cemetery. Guided tours are available but the place is self-explanatory.
Pok'r or "little" church
A hidden gem in Garni, a small basilica built in the 12th C in dark grey stone with red tufa decorations, intricately carved.
The Holy Mother of God
17th-19th centuries.
crossing the Azat River. This is the starting point of the trail leading to Havuts Tar Monastery, which is about 5-6 km away from the bridge.
11th- to 13th-century walled monastery. Just before entering through the wall surrounding the Havuts Tar monastery, a trail leads to the right up a hill and through a slightly wooded area. At the end of this trail not too far away, are the ruins of a small chapel with two khachkars nearby to the left and one to the right.