During this tour, you will be travelling towards the north-east, to one of the greenest regions in Armenia – the region of Lori. Here there are two of the three monasteries that are in included the UNESCO list.

The monasteries of Haghpat and Sanahin are closely connected, and located within a 20-minute drive of each other. Legend says that both monasteries were built by father and son masons, with Sanahin having been built earlier by the father. The name says it all: Sanahin literally means “this is older than the other”, whereas Haghpat means “great wall”.

The main churches in both complexes were built by Queen Khosrovanuysh, for the prosperity of her two sons, Princes Smbat and Kurike, whom you can observe on the east walls of the main churches. The major church in Haghpat Complex – St. Nshan or the Holy Cross – was built in 976, and the main church in the Sanahin Complex was built some 30 years earlier. Admire both on this tour.