Arates Monastery

Arates Monastery is located in Arates village of Vayots Dzor Province of RA, on the bank of the Rivulet Arates of the Yeghegis River, on the top of a hill. The semi-ruined monuments group consists of several chapels, St. Sion (X c.), St. Astvatsatsin (XI c.) churches and two narthexes (XIII c.). It is supposed that the first construction of the monuments group was founded in the VII c., though the oldest written reference refers to the IX c.

Arates Monastery was surrounded by a wall which was ruined in the XVII c. At present, only a fragment of the northern wall has survived. There are cross-stones and tomb-stones of the X‒XVII cc. in the territory of the monastery. In 1959-1961 one of the crossing arches of the narthex was restored, under the supervision of K. Ghafadaryan.

For more places to see in Vayots dzor: Places to see in Vayots Dzor