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City in Lori, Armenia
Photo: Raffi Kojian, CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Tumanyan (also often referred to by the old name of Dzaghidzor) is in Northern Armenia. The cute little town has a nice town square which has stunning views of the Debed Canyon's cliffs.
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A huge basilica, which has withstood the tests of time for 1,300 years, the church in Odzun is a beauty. There are also some interesting steles, placed there as a memorial, with carvings telling a story, and a large village surrounds the church.
The monastery is built in part at the top of the cliff, in part halfway down. At the top, there is a three-chambered chapel. Below, the walls of the canyon form one of the four walls of the structures. There are caves within the monastic complex, khachkars and carvings. St Mark's Church was built by the Princes Zakare and Ivane Zakarian in 1187. The other buildings were built by Abbot Samuel in 1206.
A 40-minute walk from the center of Tumanyan to this monastery on the cliffs, with its stunning frescoes and carvings. The partially collapsed church once had magnificently exposed frescoes - which are now being covered again as the complex is restored. The setting is really nice, as are the views. Well worth the 15-min walk up the slippery wet lush, green slopes of the canyon above the tiny hamlet of Kober.
St Hovhannes Monastery
Monastery built in 8-17th centuries consists of two small churches and a belfry surrounded by low-height walls. There is also a tetrahedral monument, khachkars (cross stones) and ruins of dwellings.
Surb Grigor
An easy hike from Tumanyan, the evocative ruins of Bardzrakash Monastery are on the footpath to Dsegh village. Though the monastic complex is semi-ruined, the walls, architecture and carvings in a lush forest setting are beautiful, and the trail then continues to Dsegh village.
Quirky little museum with thousands and thousands of matchbox labels from all over the world. The labels come from different decades, with designs and themes that give an interesting perspective into their time and places.
Organized river rafting down the Debed Canyon, starting under Tumanyan and ending near Alaverdi, upon which you are brought back to the starting point.
English library
Free library, with thousands of books in English and smaller collections in other languages. Great selection for adults and kids to read while visiting the town, comfy bean bags, wifi, etc. The book catalog can be browsed here: https://www.librarything.com/profile/tumanyanlibrary
A spectacular hike along the canyon cliffs with great views, especially during afternoon hours. It goes by Horomayri Monastery, built against the cliffs, and then Kobayr, with beautiful frescoes and a spring inside one of the churches. Start your descend down the trail directly from Odzun. 6-7 km, 2 hr.
Pass the beautiful lost-feeling ruins of Surb Grigori Bardzrakash monastery on your way up the cliffs to the plain upon which Dsegh lies.
Hike under and along the cliffs, starting at Tumanyan, and making your way up to Tsater, with stunning views of multiple river valleys along the way. A huge ancient trough fed by a spring coming out of a tunnel, and a cute chapel abutting the cliffs are found just under the village cliffs of Tsater, which also has a small old church with an interesting little bell tower of its own.
Simple cafe with good selection of coffees and teas, plus light fare. Great views and fun mostly Soviet decor.
3 bedroom guesthouse in central Tumanyan with guest use of kitchen. Includes breakfast, and owner can make other meals upon request. Owner lives off premises nearby.
Attractive old Soviet bathhouse building converted into a hostel with dorm rooms, privates, common area, kitchen and shared bathrooms. The old character of the building has been preserved, with the old bath check-in window now serving as the reception, and many of the old rooms still having the old tile walls. Games available to play either indoors or on the sports field below the hostel. A stream flows by the common hangout area (with fireflies in the early-mid summer).
From Georgia
If you're planning on travelling overland from Georgia, you can catch one of the daily marshutkas that leave from Tbilisi for Yerevan from different stations (Station Square, Ortchala, Avlabari): as…
The central part of town is where most visitors will stick to and is quite easy to get around on foot.
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Articles and travel topics about Tumanyan and Armenia.
Travel tipsThe Armenian Genocide was a campaign of deportation, forced marches, and mass murder during World War I, carried out by the Ottoman Empire against ethnic Armenians.
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ItinerariesA good way to trace through the history of Armenia, the Armenia Heritage Trail is a suggested itinerary of places which takes you on an approximate chronological tour of the long and rich history of Armenia.
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Travel tipsThe Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) (Russian: Союз Советских Социалистических Республик (СССР)), or Soviet Union, emerged as the successor state to the Russian Empire in 1917, and was dissolved in 1991.
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Culture & historyThe Mongols came to rule much of Asia and Europe during the 13th century, becoming the largest contiguous land empire ever, and second only to the British Empire in total land area.
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