LAKE SEVAN, GOSHAVANK, DILIJAN AND HAGHARTSIN

 

If Yerevan is the pulse of Armenia Sevan is its heart, a town where history and nature embrace, telling the story of the country while showcasing its beauty. Many visitors seemingly think so as it has become one of the most popular destinations within the tiny country. Despite this the Sevan Peninsula retains its majesty and welcomes its many awestruck visitors.

I arranged my visit with Hyur Service, an outfitter operating out of Nalbandyan Street in Yerevan an accommodating an international clientele with bilingual tours in English and Russian. Most of my tours went with Hyur and I could not have been happier with their service. A relaxed attitude runs through the operation, the operators acting more as drivers than guides (though they narrate throughout the journey) and travelers are allowed to become acquainted and then wander on their own upon arriving at the destination.

The journey to Sevan brought us into Gegharkunik Province where Lake Sevan lays stretched across like a mighty blue monarch supporting the monasteries above. Seeing the body of water was a reminder of my relative closeness to Greece as, seen from the Peninsula, the Lake has the tenants of a Mediterranean port. Overlooking the Lake is Sevanavank Monastery, a 9^th century building founded by the daughter of King Ashot I, that preserved the art of hand-written texts well into the 19^th century. In the mid-20^th century, a drainage process was begun on Lake Sevan and the water fell by some 20 meters, converting what was once a small island into the peninsula it is today, making the monastery more accessible though some argue that some of the splendor was sacrificed in the process. Nonetheless, a steep hike from the open markets below will take you to the cliff and the views of the lake are breathtaking.

                                                                          Lake Sevan

                                                         I overlook the lake from the cliff

                                                               Sevanavank Monastary

From there our group proceeded to the village of Gosh wherein lies another monastery dating to the 13^th century. It lies in the footsteps of the older Nor Getik monastery which fell to an earthquake some 200 years earlier. Goshavank is noteworthy as the site of some of Armenia’s oldest khachkars. Found throughout the country, these stele pillars featuring carved crosses and flowers have become such a recognizable symbol Armenia that their very appearance and preservation have become dictate by the nation’s history. When Armenia adopted Christianity as its official religion, a decision was made never to carve the image of Christ on the khachkars as the church felt that a depiction of Jesus would come to be seen as another form of idol worship, a habit the new Christian rule hoped to vanquish along with their predecessors, the Pagans. On the other hand, most of the khachkars located in the area occupied by the Ottoman Empire were systematically destroyed, so firmly representative of Armenian Christianity had they become.

                                                                       Goshavank

                                                           Examples of khachkars.

A resistance to development (whether forced or voluntary) has lead to a coexistence of nature and history in the town of Dilijan. A very modern town hall rests among the quaint Sharambeyan Street lined with 19^th century buildings and the forests of Dilijan National Park, a favorite for hikers where encounters with bears are not uncommon.

                                           The charming Old Dilijan with its 19th century architecture.

We ended our journey at the Haghartsin Monastery, a towering complex consisting of St. Stephen’s Church, St. Gregory’s and St. Astvatsatsin, built between the 10^th and 13^th centuries.

                                                                        Haghartsin

This was a long day and our journey back to Yerevan felt like a return to the modern world so enshrined in their medieval roots are the monasteries we visited. Yerevan is a lively city offering the commodities of the modern world and, among everything else it offers, it serves as a bedroom to travelers visiting its ancient wonders. One can traverse the streets of supermarkets, fast food joints, museums and, yes, the Holiday Inn I returned to knowing that history is preserved in the surroundings.