The Holy Cross church (Surb Khach in Armenian) is the main place of worship for the town's overwhelmingly Armenian population. It is a plain, dark-stone basilica with a simple cross over the door — built in the 1850s in the period after Russian conquest, when Armenian refugees fleeing Ottoman territory resettled the Javakheti plateau in large numbers.
The interior is austere: whitewashed walls, a stone altar, a few icons and embroidered cloths. Services are sung in Armenian and worth catching if your visit lines up with a Sunday liturgy. The church sits on the main square a short walk from the bus station and is usually open during the day; a small candle stand near the entrance is the easiest way to leave a contribution.