Spitakavor Monastery

Spitakavor Monastery, also known as Tsakhkavank, rises in silence seven kilometers north of the village of Vernashen, in Armenia’s Vayots Dzor Province. The terrain here is broken by deep ravines, and on the crest of the nearest mountain stands the old fortress of Proshaberd, also called Boloraberd. Perched on a slope carved by gorges, the church of Spitakavor keeps its watch, the elegance of its architecture and the raw mountain backdrop giving the place a kind of quiet dignity.

The monastery complex is composed of a church, a gavit (narthex), a belfry, and fortified walls. The Church of Surb Astvatsatsin, also known in medieval records as Surb Karapet, was founded by Prince Eachi Proshyan and completed after his death in 1318 by his son Amir Hasan II, who finished construction in 1321. It was built from polished white felsite, which gave the church its name — “Spitak,” or “white” in Armenian. In the local vernacular, the monastery is often called Tsakhkavank, the “Flower Monastery,” as in spring the surrounding slopes burst into bloom, and the church seems to sit within a living garden.

The church rests at the foot of Proshaberd, once a stronghold of the noble Armenian Proshyan family. Among the legacy they left, Spitakavor stands out. There are no surviving chronicles of the church’s construction, but inscriptions carved into its walls reveal that it was founded by Eachi Proshyan and completed by his son. The church was consecrated in 1321. Architecturally, the complex stands out with its conical roof and detailed reliefs blending sacred and secular motifs.

The church’s surfaces are adorned with sculpted scenes that reflect both spiritual and worldly life. The north façade once bore a relief of Prince Eachi and his son Amir Hasan II — now kept in the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg. The south wall featured a hunting scene with Amir Hasan, preserved today in Armenia’s History Museum. The gavit adjoins the western side of the church, its tympanum above the entrance still holding a sculpted image of the Virgin Mary. Inside, the gavit leaves a lasting impression.

The church’s vault rests on sail-like supports, and the tall central drum lends a surprising spaciousness to the compact building. Carved inside the dome is a composition with Christ, the four Evangelists, and two additional figures, believed to be the princes Eachi and Amir Hasan, holding a model of the church in their hands. One of the church’s most striking details is a large cross carved into the eastern exterior wall, its asymmetrical wings ending in five-pointed stars.

The belfry, attached to the gavit’s western wall, was built in 1330. The monastery courtyard still holds the foundations of ruined monastic cells and living quarters. In its time, Spitakavor became one of the leading spiritual, cultural, and educational centers in Vayots Dzor. It remained active through the 15th century and survived the waves of Tatar-Mongol invasions. When the famed University of Gladzor closed in the 1340s, Spitakavor emerged as the Proshyan family’s new center of learning and manuscript production, flourishing during the abbacy of Avagter, whose illuminated texts still exist.

In earlier centuries, Spitakavor communicated with the monasteries of Arkazi and Tanade through a signaling system of beacon fires, kindled in sequence across the mountains. Today, the ashes of the Armenian military and political figure Garegin Nzhdeh rest within the monastery walls.

Not far from Spitakavor, in the village of Vernashen, stands the museum of the Gladzor University, once one of medieval Armenia’s great centers of learning. Its curriculum included theology, mythology, grammar, natural science, astronomy, and miniature painting. The university also became a hub for translating and copying scholarly works, and during its sixty years of existence, a wealth of texts by medieval authors were rendered into Armenian. Only traces of its original foundations remain today, but the Church of Surb Hakob now houses a museum that tells the story of Gladzor University and preserves manuscripts by Greek and Armenian scholars.

Just ten minutes’ drive from Spitakavor lies the ancient monastic site of Tanade, where Gladzor University was originally established. The complex includes two churches, a cemetery, and the ruins of the university. Its main church, Surb Stepanos, was built between 1273 and 1279 on the order of the Proshyan princes. One of its walls bears the emblem of this noble house — an eagle clutching a lamb in its talons. Nearby stands the second church, Surb Nshan, also constructed in the 13th century.

At the close of the day, one can dine and sample wine at one of the local vineyards near Areni. Not far from the monastery are several renowned wineries, including Old Bridge, Trinity Canyon, and Momik Wine.

Spitakavor lies 7 kilometers north of the village of Vernashen in the Vayots Dzor region. The road to the monastery winds through rocky gorges, and while it’s possible to reach the site by jeep, many prefer to hike. The trail stretches 4 kilometers each way and climbs 500 meters in elevation. It’s a moderate-level hiking route, clearly marked and part of the larger Transcaucasian Trail, which leads farther north to Shativank Monastery and the slopes of the Gegham Ridge. Along the way, one may spot native flora and fauna — even bezoar goats — and in spring or summer, find the monastery nestled in fields of bellflowers, dandelions, tulips, and forget-me-nots.