The thirteenth-century Armenian monastery of Amenaprkich sits in a narrow mountain gorge north of old Julfa, tucked into a dramatic rocky landscape. The monastery's name means "All-Savior" in Armenian, and it was a functioning religious centre for several centuries before the region's repeated upheavals. The ruins include the main church, outbuildings, and fragments of carved decoration that survived the centuries better than the structures themselves.
Getting there requires a drive and then a walk into the gorge — the access road is rough and the path is unmarked. The setting alone justifies the effort: steep cliffs, a seasonal stream, and the sense of profound isolation that must have appealed to the monks who built here. Few tourists make it this far, which adds to the atmosphere.