Portal:Armenia/Selected picture/Month 08, 2006

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Haghpat monastery, Sourb Nshan (Holy Sign of the Cross) church with the Church of St. Gregory in the background
Haghpat monastery, Sourb Nshan (Holy Sign of the Cross) church with the Church of St. Gregory in the background

Haghpat ("Հաղպատ" in Armenian) is a village in the Northern Lorri province of Armenia, close to the city of Alaverdi and the state border with Georgia. It is notable for its Haghpatavank (Հաղպատավանք) monastery complex, founded in the 10th century and is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List along with monasteries in Sanahin. The monastery complex belongs to the Armenian Apostolic Church, with numerous khachkars (stones with elaborate engravings representing a cross) and bishop gravesites scattered throughout the complex. The compex itself represents an outstanding and magnificent example of medieval Armenian architecture. It has been attracting increasing numbers of tourists, as numerous Armenian tour agencies have started including Haghpat in their itineraries.

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