Alaverdi is an industrial copper-mining town at the bottom of the Debed Gorge in Armenia's northern Lori province, close to the Georgian border. The name means "Allah gave" in Turkish. The town itself, with its Soviet-era apartment blocks and defunct smelter, is not much to look at — but it is the base for visiting some of Armenia's finest medieval monasteries.
Haghpat and Sanahin, both UNESCO World Heritage Sites, are perched on the cliffs above the gorge and are among the masterpieces of Armenian architecture. The Sanahin Bridge, an 11th-century stone arch, crosses the Debed River in the centre of town. For a quirky aside, the Mikoyan Brothers Museum commemorates two local brothers who became, respectively, a top Soviet politician and the co-designer of the MiG fighter jet.
Marshrutkas (shared minivans) run from Yerevan several times a day — the three-hour journey goes via the Spitak Pass and Vanadzor before descending into the gorge. The overnight Yerevan–Tbilisi train also stops here.