Zagha Pilgrimage Site

Hogevank St. Karapet Church is located in Shirak Province, about 3 kilometers northwest of the village of Sarnaghbyur, on the left side of the road leading to Maralik. This medieval complex is also known as the Red Monastery and Dzoragyugh Monastery. According to the inscription preserved above the northern entrance, the church was built in 1205. It belongs to the domed hall type of Armenian churches. On the eastern side of the structure is the semicircular main apse, with rectangular vaulted sacristies on both sides. St. Karapet Church has two entrances: one from the west and one from the north. Niches typical of Armenian architecture are preserved on the façades. The church was built of finely cut red tuff stone, which is why the complex became known as the Red Monastery. During later renovations, black and gray tuff stones were also used. The dome of the church collapsed during the 1939 earthquake and was restored in the 1980s. Inside the church, carved and inscribed fragments of 4th-5th-century quadrilateral monuments and 13th-century khachkars have been preserved. Some of them have been weathered over time and are now difficult to read. The area of Hogevank is important not only because of the 13th-century church. About 50 meters north of St. Karapet Church, the lower rows of the walls of a 5th-century single-nave church and a 7th-century tetraconch church have also been preserved. This shows that the site had Christian religious significance as early as the Early Middle Ages.

Lmbatavank is located in Shirak Province, about 1.5-2 kilometers southwest of the town of Artik, on the slope of a hill. It is also known as St. Stephen Church of Lmbatavank or St. Stephen of Sarnaghbyur. The church dates back to the 6th-7th centuries and is considered one of the most elegant early medieval monuments of Shirak. It is a cross-shaped, central-domed structure built of finely cut Artik tuff stone. Although Lmbatavank is small in size, it is architecturally expressive, with upward-looking proportions, a horseshoe-shaped apse, narrow arched windows, and an octagonal drum. Historical sources provide very little information about Lmbatavank, but the inscriptions preserved on the walls offer important details about the later life of the monastery. One of the earliest inscriptions dates to 1191 and is connected with Barsegh, the son of Vahram Pahlavuni. The inscriptions also mention villages donated to the monastery, such as Tsitsk, Sarnaghbyur, Hayrenyats Taghk, and Yardik, the area of present-day Artik. One of the most valuable features of the church is the remains of frescoes preserved inside. They are considered distinctive examples of Armenian monumental painting. The images preserved on the conch of the main apse and the eastern wall are connected with the scene of the “Theophany,” inspired by the vision of the Prophet Ezekiel. The surroundings of Lmbatavank were excavated in 1953-1954. During the excavations, bases of khachkars, graves from the 9th-10th centuries, carved fragments from the 7th-13th centuries, roof tiles, metal tools, and other findings were discovered. In the 1950s, the partially damaged dome, the coverings of the cross-arms, and the cornices of the church were also restored. Today, Lmbatavank stands out with its modest size, dark tuff color, and views opening from the hill. It is an interesting stop for those who want to discover not only the well-known large monasteries of Shirak, but also quiet, ancient church monuments with deep historical value.

Jrapi Caravanserai is located in the area of Jrapi village in Shirak Province. It is one of the important monuments of medieval Armenian secular architecture and is connected with the historic roads that linked the northern provinces and Georgia with Ani. The caravanserai dates back to the 10th-11th centuries. It belongs to the type of single-hall, three-nave vaulted structures. The building was mainly constructed of finely cut tuff stone and lime mortar, while the floor was paved with stone slabs. The preserved section is a three-nave hall, about 31 meters long and 13.65 meters wide. The hall was divided into three naves by two rows of pillars connected to each other by arches. Jrapi Caravanserai was built on the main route leading from Georgia and the northern provinces of Armenia to Ani. In the Middle Ages, such structures played an important role for travelers, merchants, and caravans. They were not only places for rest, but also key points in the organization of road life. Near the caravanserai, the Chirpli Bridge is also mentioned — a notable medieval structure built in the Akhuryan Gorge. It served the old trade route and was considered one of the largest bridges built over the Akhuryan River. The bridge also functioned as an aqueduct, transferring water from one bank to the other. Today, Jrapi Caravanserai has survived in a semi-ruined state. Even so, it still offers a glimpse into Shirak’s medieval road network, its links with Ani, and the significance of secular architecture in the region.