Gndevank Monastery

Tucked into the steep gorge of the Arpa River near the village of Gndevaz lies Gndevank Monastery—an overlooked masterpiece that rivals the more famous Noravank in beauty and historical depth. Not far from the resort town of Jermuk, this 10th-century complex offers an atmosphere of solemnity and seclusion, surrounded by cliffs and silence.

Gndevank was built between 931 and 938 with the support of Princess Sophia, wife of the Syunik prince of princes, Smbat. The monastery was named in honor of Supan Gnduni, a martyr of the Armenian Church. Constructed from finely hewn basalt, the church follows a cross-in-square plan, with a central dome and four apses. Fragments of bas-reliefs depicting Christ and the Virgin Mary survive inside the church.

At the completion of the construction, Princess Sophia left an inscription on the church wall that reads: “Vayots Dzor was a ring without a stone; I built this monastery as the stone for that ring.” This poetic phrase became the monastery’s epitaph—and her lasting legacy in stone.

The project was overseen by the priest Yeghishe, a noted architect and painter of his time. Inside, traces of frescoes remain, including a preserved image of Christ. Reliefs of the four Evangelists’ symbols—man, lion, ox, and eagle—are carved into the interior of the dome, a rare survival in medieval Armenian religious architecture.

The monastery courtyard contains khachkars (cross-stones) dating from the 10th to 16th centuries and cradle-shaped tombstones of the same period. Numerous lithographed inscriptions carved into the stones add further historical richness to the site.

Despite its proximity to Noravank, a well-known tourist magnet, Gndevank remains largely unnoticed. Yet it is no less impressive. Its isolation adds to its allure—this is a place not yet consumed by crowds, where the stone speaks quietly of faith, power, and artistry.