Haghartsin Monastery

Haghartsin Monastery tickets: which one to buy

Haghartsin stands in the forests of Dilijan National Park, about eighteen kilometres from the town of Dilijan up a winding road through beech and oak woods, and it is free to visit. Most people see it on a day tour from Yerevan that combines Lake Sevan and its monastery, Dilijan and often Goshavank; the tours allow around forty-five minutes here, which is enough to see the churches and the refectory. Travelling independently requires a car or a taxi from Dilijan.

The setting in the forest is the special quality of Haghartsin, and hiking trails in the national park pass nearby, including routes linking Dilijan with the monastery for those with a full day. Near the car park, a few stalls sell honey, dried fruit and gata, the sweet Armenian bread, and a bakery at the monastery sometimes bakes it fresh. The monastery is an active church, and modest dress is expected. The road up from the main highway is paved and suitable for ordinary cars.

Visiting Haghartsin Monastery: what to see

The monastery was built between the tenth and thirteenth centuries and flourished under the patronage of Armenian and Georgian nobles and kings, whose names appear in inscriptions on the walls. Its name is sometimes translated as the game of the eagle, from a legend of an eagle circling over the site when it was consecrated. The complex includes three churches, the largest dedicated to the Virgin, a gavit or entrance hall, a small chapel and a remarkable refectory built in 1248, a long vaulted hall with stone arches crossing the ceiling and stone tables and benches for the monks.

Carved khachkars stand around the grounds, and one wall of a church carries a relief of two figures holding a model of the building. A major restoration was completed in 2011, funded by the ruler of Sharjah, which cleaned and rebuilt much of the complex; a huge old walnut tree stands at the edge of the courtyard. Carvings on the refectory arches include rosettes and geometric bands cut into each stone voussoir.

Haghartsin Monastery opening hours and the best time to go

The forest around Haghartsin is at its most beautiful in autumn, when the leaves turn, and in late spring, when it is fresh and green. Summer is cooler here than in Yerevan, and Dilijan is a popular escape from the capital's heat. Winter can bring snow to the monastery road, though it is usually cleared. Weekends and public holidays bring Armenian visitors and weddings, which can be charming to see but make the churches busy.

Mornings are the quietest time. Services are held on Sundays and feast days. There are basic facilities near the entrance. Allow forty-five minutes to an hour, and walk around the outside of the complex to see the carved details on the walls and the view back through the trees. Dilijan has guesthouses and a restored old street of craft workshops worth an evening stroll.