The Haghpat Monastery is one of the great achievements of medieval Armenian architecture and the reason the village exists. Built between the 10th and 13th centuries on a high plateau above the Debed canyon, the complex includes the main church of Surb Nshan, a gavit (narthex), refectory, library, and a striking three-tiered bell tower. The site was placed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1996 together with Sanahin further down the canyon.
The carved khachkars (cross-stones) inside the gavit are among the finest in Armenia — particularly the Amenaprkich ("All-Saviour") khachkar from 1273. The exterior reliefs of the founding princes Smbat and Kyurike holding a model of the church on the eastern facade are unusual in surviving so well. Combined entry with Sanahin makes a half-day trip from Alaverdi, and the views from the monastery across the canyon are extraordinary.