Our final trip from Yerevan was via Lake Sevan to Vanidzor. We used the services of Artyom, our driver from Yerevan who took us on our two wonderful daytrips there. He was pleasant, a good driver and was set very reasonable prices. This time he’d leave us in Vanidzor instead of taking us back to Yerevan at the end of the day.
Lake Sevan is set 1900m above sea level and covers 940 sq km making it one of the largest freshwater high altitude lakes in the world. We saw a couple of monasteries here (surprise, surprise!) and a cemetery full of Khachkars at Noratus. This was a fascinating place. We were given a laminated card to guide us around the huge site so we could find the most interesting/ significant khachkars (stone monuments) and read some info about them.
At the entrance to the cemetery there were a group of older women who were selling various handcrafts, woollen socks and scarves etc. I found a shawl that was almost identical to the one i bought in Kyrgyzstan in 2000 that I have worn so much but which has finally disintegrated beyond repair. Was super happy to find one just like it and decided after much pondering to make the purchase.
Detailed cross
The above Khachkar had a really detailed cross – looking carefully you can see Jesus on the cross, God the father above it and numerous other things depicted. Other stones had pictures of typical aspects of life, horse drawn vehicles, people ploughing etc. The khachkars are from the middle ages.
A variety of Khachkar illustrations/ carvings.
There is a story that says an Arab army was once forced to take cover nearby as the commander mistook the field of khachkars at Noratus for a battalion of enemy soldiers. They only moved on once a scout discovered they were just stone tablets!
After thoroughly enjoying this site we headed to the first monastery of the day. Hayravank monastery is 1100 years old and sits nicely on a piece of land that juts out into the lake.
Top: Hayravank from a distance. Bottom: Antony enjoying the lake views just outside Hayravank Monastery
Door & Interior, Hayravank
Further around the lake we came to Sevanavank, a site once home to a temple. In the 4th century a church replaced the temple but this is now in ruins. There are two churches from the 9th century (restored in the 17th) which are also on this site. The monastery is located on an elevated piece of land overlooking the lake. There was a particularly interesting stone khachkar inside the church, incredibly detailed.
Sevanavank Monastery by Lake Sevan
Left: Amazingly detailed stone kochkor. Right: wooden door, Sevanavank
After having some food by the lake side we headed back to the car for the drive to Vanidzor… all in all a pleasant day!
Views along the way from Lake Sevan to Vanidzor, Armenia