Tomb of Prince Papak

To reach the final rock-hewn chamber of the monastery, one must exit the gavit, ascend the courtyard steps, and pass through a short stone corridor. This church, carved in 1288, is the last structure added to the Geghard complex. Inscriptions on its walls state that the chapel serves as the tomb of Prince Prosh’s son, Papak, and his wife Ruzukan.

The chamber is cruciform in layout, crowned by a hemispherical dome with a central oculus. At the heart of the hall stand four columns, not constructed but carved directly from the mountain’s stone, forming a single piece with the room itself.

The tomb is famed for its acoustics. Echoes linger for up to 40 seconds, making a single voice resonate like a choir. Because of this natural reverberation, the chamber is often used for intimate concerts and sound recordings.