Sanahin Monastery is an Armenian monastery founded in the 10th century in the Lori Province of Armenia.
The name Sanahin literally translates from Armenian as "this one is older than that one", presumably representing a claim to having an older monastery than the neighbouring Haghpat Monastery. The two villages and their monasteries are similar in many ways, and lie in plain view of each other on a dissected plateau formation, separated by a deep "crack" formed by a small river flowing into the Debed river.
As with Haghpat, Sanahin is frequented by an increasing number of tourists, due to its recent inclusion on the itineraries of numerous Armenian tour agencies, the beauty of its monastery complex matching that of Haghpat's. The complex belongs to the Armenian Apostolic Church with numerous khachkars (stones with elaborate engravings representing a cross) and bishop gravesites scattered throughout it.
The Monastery is located in the village Sanahin which is, now, part of the Alaverdi City.
Khorakert Monastery, Jiliza Village. A long, hard trek from Alaverdi, over a mountain dirt road, the peak of Mt. Lalvar, and hitting the Georgian border, this monastery is has a very cool cupola unique to Armenian architecture in a lush forest - nobody makes it this far!
The medieval bridge of Sanahin (near Alaverdi), built in 1195 is considered to be one of the nearby attractions for the Alaverdi City which grabs the attraction of tourists who visit Armenia.
The Alaverdi Copper Smelter was founded in 1770, by the order of Georgian king Erekle II. At the end of the 19th century, the region was flourished even more through the new Russian and French investments in metallurgical business. In 1903, the amount of copper produced in Alaverdi region made around 13% of the total copper production in the Russian Empire.
Recently, new plans were introduced for the expansion of copper production in Alaverdi Smelter and the development of new copper mines within the project "Armenian Copper".
Currently, 500 workers and administrative staff are employed in the copper factory.
Hovhannes Tumanyan (Armenian: Հովհաննես Թումանյան) (February 19, 1869 - March 23, 1923), is considered to be one of the greatest Armenian poets and writers. His work was mostly written in tragic form, often centering on the harsh lives of villagers in the Lori region.
Tumanyan is usually regarded in Armenian circles as "All-Armenian poet". He earned this title when the Catholicos of Armenia had ordered that Armenian refugees from the west not enter certain areas of his church and house, since he is considered to be "The Catholicos of all Armenians". Tumanyan in response decried that decision claiming that the refugees could seek relief in the Catholicos' quarters under order of "The Poet of all Armenians".
Tumanyan's native town of Dsegh, which is located in Alaverdi city now, was renamed "Tumanyan" in his honor from 1938-1969. His House-Museum will remind his name in this world.
Haghpat Monastery, also known as Haghpatavank ("Հաղպատավանք" in Armenian), is a medieval Armenian monastery complex in Haghpat, Armenia.
Described as a "masterpiece of religious architecture and a major center of learning in the Middle Ages", this venerable institution of the Armenian Apostolic Church was placed on UNESCO's World Heritage List in 1996.
The monastery was founded by Saint Nishan (Sourb Nshan) in the 10th century during the reign of King Abas I. The nearby monastery at Sanahin was built around the same time.
The monasteries at Haghpat and Sanahin were chosen as UNESCO World Heritage Sites because The two monastic complexes represent the highest flowering of Armenian religious architecture, whose unique style developed from a blending of elements of Byzantine ecclesiastical architecture and the traditional vernacular architecture of the Caucasian region.
The monastery has been damaged many times. Sometime around 1130, an earthquake destroyed parts of Haghpat Monastery and it was not restored until fifty years later. It also suffered numerous attacks by armed forces in the many centuries of its existence and from a major earthquake in 1988. Nevertheless, much of the complex is still intact and stands today without substantial alterations.
Today the area is an increasingly popular tourist site in the nearby of Alaverdi.
Odzun Church (Armenian: Օձունի եկեղեցի) is an Armenian basilica constructed around the 5th-7th century in the Odzun village, near Alaverdi of the Lori Province of Armenia.
The first church appeared here in the 6th century. In the 8th century it was reconstructed by Hovhannes III Odznetsi (Armenian: Հովհաննես Գ Օձնեցի) who served as the katholikos between 717 and 728 and was, as his name suggests, from Odzun. This is the time the church got its current form of a pink felsite basilica with three naves, the two side naves being narrow. At the northern (not preserved anymore) and southern side there are unusual arcaded cloisters and the west cloister has a blind wall with an arched entrance in the middle. The roof is barrel vaulted. Four columns support the rib vaulted tambour and there are two more columns at the western part of the church. At the eastern façade above the central window one can observe a carving of Christ with the gospel of St. John and two angels below. At the southern façade, at each side of the central window there are two angels and traces of another figure, probably Christ. Much later, in the 19th century two small belltowers were added.
There are numerous gravestones of the clergy around the church and a funerary monument. Its stepped platform supports two carved stelae between double arches. The east and west sides of the monument are carved with scenes from the Bible and introduction of Christianity in Armenia. Its north and south side are carved with geometrical motifs and floral shapes. It is suggested that this monument commemorates Hovhannes Odznetsi, but its style suggests that it was probably erected earlier, in the 6th century.
This is one of only two such funerary monuments in Armenia. The one located in Odzun was given as a gift to Armenia from an Indian King around the 8th century. The other one is situated in Aghudi in southern Armenian province of Syunik.
In general, the sport organisations in Alaverdi are very poor but some steps are being taken by the Football Federation of Armenia towards the promotion of the game in the region of Lori, therefore the town's only stadium; the Alaverdi City Stadium, which is located deep in the forests, was recently turned into an all seater stadium with a capacity of 1,000 seats to serve some young football teams and sport-schools.
The Debed (Armenian: Դեբեդ) or Debeda (Georgian: დებედა) river originates in Armenia and is fed by the Dzoraget and Pambak rivers. It ends in Georgia where it feeds into the Kura River.
The River also serves as a natural boundary between Armenia and Georgia at the village Sadakhlo, Georgia.
Kobayr (Georgian: ქობაირი, Armenian: Քոբայր) is a 12th century Armenian monastery located in the village Kober 12 km south of Alaverdi City within Lori marz, Armenia. The monastery was built on a shelf of a gorge by the princes of the junior Bagratuni branch, Kyurikids in 1171. The monastery was later acquired by the Zakarids and converted into a Chalcedonian monastery. The majority of the inscriptions in the monastery are written in Georgian. Prince Shahnashah Zakarian is buried in the monastery. A bell tower in the middle of the complex was built in 1279 to house the tombs of Mkhargryel Zakarian and his wife Vaneni. The monastery is currently undergoing renovation funded by the government of Armenia with the assistance of the government of Italy. The ruins of the main church in the monastery contain frescoes of Christ and the twelve apostles as well as the Church Fathers and other Christian figures.
Artem Ivanovich Mikoyan (Armenian: Արտյոմ (Artyom) Հովհաննեսի Միկոյան or Անուշավան Հովհաննեսի Միկոյան Hovhannyesi Mikohan or Anowshavan Hovhannyesi Mikohan; Russian: Артём Ива́нович Микоя́н) (5 August [O.S. 23 July] 1905 — December 9, 1970) was a Soviet aircraft designer of Armenian descent. In partnership with Mikhail Iosifovich Gurevich he designed many of the famous MiG military aircraft.
This Museum is considered to be the memorial of Artem Mikoyan in Alaverdi Armenia.
