Haghpat
©
Haghpat

Haghpat

Armenian monastery village above Debed Canyon, centred on Haghpat's 10th-century UNESCO complex.

Haghpat (Հաղպատ, meaning "a huge wall") is a village in northern Armenia built around one of the country's finest medieval monasteries. It sits high above the Debed canyon about 10 km from Alaverdi. To get there you will need your own transport, negotiate with a local to give you a lift, or take a long walk. Take the main road northwards (towards the Georgian border) and soon after you leave town, turn right onto a steep climbing road that takes you to Haghpat village.

The 10th-century Haghpat Monastery is beautiful and has fantastic views. One of the most striking Armenian khachkars sits in the gavit of the library.

In 1996 Haghpat and neighbouring Sanahin were the first Armenian monuments inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list. The ruined fortress of Kayan Berd a short walk west of the village is worth the scramble for the view alone.

Apart from a parking fee (about 100 AMD) there is no entrance fee — just buy some candles (40 AMD a piece) as is the custom at Armenian churches.

Guide

Day Trips

Haghpat pairs naturally with Sanahin, the sister monastery directly across the Debed canyon. The two were inscribed together on the UNESCO list in 1996 and you can comfortably visit both in a single day from Alaverdi, which is the nearest town with food, transport, and lodging.

Guide

Getting There

Haghpat is about 10 km from Alaverdi, the nearest town with regular transport. From Alaverdi, a taxi is the easiest option and should cost a few thousand dram for a return trip with waiting time — negotiate before you set off. A marshrutka (minibus) runs a few times a day from Alaverdi to Haghpat village but the schedule is unreliable.

Coming from Yerevan, the drive north takes about three and a half hours via Vanadzor. The road continues from Haghpat to the Georgian border at Bagratashen — a useful stop for travellers heading on to Tbilisi.

Guide

Things to Do

Haghpat is essentially a one-monastery village. The 10th-century monastery is the reason anyone comes, but a couple of minor sights — the fortress ruins of Kayan Berd, an old khachkar or two, and the views across the Debed canyon to neighbouring Sanahin — make it worth lingering for half a day rather than rushing through.