Yeghegnadzor: what to see, where to stay and how to get around
North of town a side valley climbs to Yeghegis, in the 13th and 14th centuries the seat of the Orbelian princes who ruled this part of Armenia. Below the village, on the bank of the river, lie the tombstones of a Jewish community that lived here in the same years. Around them stand an unusual church, a hilltop fortress and a forest monastery. Half a day by car on a good road; Smbataberd and Tsakhats Kar add a steep hike.
A short history of Yeghegnadzor
Yeghegnadzor is the capital of Vayots Dzor province in southern Armenia, and until 1957 it was called Keshishkend. In the 13th and 14th centuries the Orbelian princes ruled the area, and under their patronage the monastery of Noravank was built, with its two-storey church. Near the village of Yeghegis a medieval Jewish cemetery was discovered in 1996, with gravestones inscribed in Hebrew and Aramaic from the 13th and 14th centuries, evidence of a Jewish community that lived here at that time. Today it is a small town surrounded by vineyards and wineries.
The ten best sights in Yeghegnadzor
1Yeghegis Jewish CemeteryMedieval tombstones with Hebrew and Aramaic inscriptions by the river; about 25 minutes north
2NoravankRed cliffs and Momik’s carved church, 20 minutes away; the steep outside stairs are the photo
3Areni-1 CaveWhere the oldest known shoe and winery were found; a short walk from the road
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4Gladzor University Museum
In Vernashen, 10 minutes from town; the story of a medieval school of scholars and illuminators
5Spitakavor MonasteryUp a rough dirt road above Vernashen; a 4x4 or a long walk
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6Zorats Church
The open-fronted soldiers’ church in Yeghegis, next to the Jewish cemetery
7Selim CaravanseraiOn the Selim pass, 40 minutes north; on the way to Lake Sevan
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8Yeghegnadzor History Museum
The small regional museum in the centre; finds from the valley
9SmbataberdFortress walls along a ridge above Yeghegis; a steep hike, take water
10VishapakarAn ancient carved stone in the centre of town, a two-minute look
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What is an audio walk?
Tours in Yeghegnadzor →A guide in your headphones: open the walk on our site, walk from stop to stop, and at each one your phone tells its story. No guide, no group, and free. This is the first walk in Yeghegnadzor:
Free walking tours in Yeghegnadzor
Yeghegis: princes and a Jewish community
North of town a side valley climbs to Yeghegis, in the 13th and 14th centuries the seat of the Orbelian princes who ruled this part of Armenia. Below the village, on the bank of the river, lie the tombstones of a Jewish community that lived here in the same years. Around them stand an unusual church, a hilltop fortress and a forest monastery. Half a day by car on a good road; Smbataberd and Tsakhats Kar add a steep hike.
- Yeghegis Jewish Cemetery · The tombstones date from the 13th and 14th centuries and carry inscriptions in Hebrew and Aramaic, with Bible verses and the names of the dead. They were found in the late 1990s and studied by a team that included researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
- Zorats Church · Built in the early 14th century, the church has no west wall: the altar faces an open courtyard. Tradition says horsemen rode in and were blessed in the saddle before going to war, and the name means 'church of the soldiers'.
- Smbataberd · The walls follow the ridge between two valleys. The legend says the fortress fell only when the enemy let a thirsty horse loose, and it led them to the hidden pipe that carried water to the defenders.
- Tsakhats Kar Monastery · The ruined churches in the forest above Smbataberd go back to the 10th and 11th centuries. Its name means 'stone of the branches', and it is reached by a forest track from the fortress.
- Spitakavor Monastery · The 'white' monastery, of pale stone, was built in the first half of the 14th century. In 1987 remains of Garegin Nzhdeh, the commander who fought for Syunik's independence in 1920–21, were secretly buried here.
- Gladzor University Museum · Gladzor was one of the great schools of medieval Armenia, teaching theology, philosophy and the art of the manuscript. The Gladzor Gospels, illuminated there in the early 14th century, are now kept at UCLA in Los Angeles.
Areni and Noravank: wine and red cliffs
West of town the Arpa river runs between red and ochre cliffs, and the village of Areni gives its name to the grape that has grown here for thousands of years. Archaeologists proved it in a cave by the road, where the oldest winery known so far was found. A side gorge leads to Noravank, the most photographed monastery in southern Armenia. Half a day; taste wine after the driving, not before.
- Areni-1 Cave · In 2008 diggers found a leather shoe about 5,500 years old, the oldest known. Later the cave gave up a press, vats and grape seeds about 6,100 years old — the oldest winery found so far.
- Noravank · The two-storey church of the Holy Mother of God was finished in 1339 as a burial church for the Orbelian princes, with narrow stone stairs cantilevered up its front. Its carvings are the work of Momik, the sculptor and illuminator buried here.
- Areni Church · The small church on the hill above the village was built in 1321, also by Momik. Look for the carved Virgin and Child over the door, softer and rounder than most Armenian work of the time.
- Areni Wine Factory · Areni is a red grape found almost only in Armenia, and the village holds a wine festival each autumn, usually in early October, when the harvest is in.
- Zorah Wines · Zorah ferments its Areni wine in karas, the big clay jars that Armenian winemakers used for thousands of years, buried in the ground to keep the temperature steady.
- Mozrov Cave · The cave was found in the 1970s when a road was being cut through the hill, and its halls are full of stalactites. It has no lights or paths, so go only with a local guide.
Yeghegnadzor and the road to Jermuk
Vayots Dzor, the province Yeghegnadzor is the capital of, is usually translated as 'the gorge of woes', a name tied to old earthquakes. The town itself is small and quiet, with a museum, a carved dragon stone and wineries at its edge. East of it the road follows the Arpa up into the mountains, past a 10th-century monastery, to the spa town of Jermuk. A long afternoon by car; Jermuk is about 45 minutes each way.
- Vishapakar · Vishapakar means 'dragon stone'. Such tall stones, often carved with a fish or a stretched ox hide, were set up near springs in the mountains of Armenia thousands of years ago and seem linked to the cult of water.
- Yeghegnadzor History Museum · The regional museum collects finds from all of Vayots Dzor, from prehistoric tools to medieval khachkars and the decorated tombstones of local princes.
- Tanahat Monastery · The church was finished in the 1270s by the Orbelian family. Excavations beside it uncovered buildings that some historians identify as the site of Gladzor University itself.
- Dadal Bridge · An old single-arched stone bridge over the Arpa just outside town, still standing beside the modern road.
- Gndevank · Princess Sophia of Syunik founded the monastery in 936. Traces of early frescoes survive inside, and the monastery stands alone in the Arpa gorge, walled like a small fortress.
- Jermuk · Jermuk's hot mineral water is bottled and sold all over the former Soviet Union under the town's name. Beside the town a waterfall about 70 metres high drops into the Arpa gorge.
Getting to Yeghegnadzor and getting around
- Yeghegnadzor bus station · Marshrutkas to Yerevan, about two hours; few after midday
- Areni bus stop · Buses on the main road towards Yerevan and the south stop by the wineries
Cheap eats in Yeghegnadzor
Vayots Dzor is wine country, and the dried fruit, honey and sujukh — walnuts threaded on a string and dipped in thickened grape juice — sold at stalls along the Areni road come from the same orchards. Lunch in town is simple: bakeries, a few cafés and grill houses where khorovats, the Armenian barbecue, is the main dish. Everything is cheap by Israeli standards — a full meal rarely passes 5,000 dram a person.
- Café Mood · Coffee and cake in the centre; coffee about 500 dram
- Eritasardakan · A simple café near the square; sandwiches about 800-1,200 dram
- Food Court · Quick lunch in town; shawarma about 1,200-1,800 dram
- Armenian Bakery · Matnakash bread about 300 dram, pastries 300-600 dram
- Akn Arevi · Local plates in the centre; khorovats about 2,500-3,500 dram
- Arpi Hatsatun · On the Areni road; fresh lavash about 200-300 dram
Holy places in Yeghegnadzor
- Yeghegis Jewish Cemetery · By the river below Yeghegis; free, always open
- Noravank · Covered shoulders; the upper church is reached by the outside stairs
- Zorats Church · The open-fronted soldiers’ church in Yeghegis
- Spitakavor Monastery · Pale-stone monastery up a rough road
- Shativank · A fortified monastery above Shatin village
- Gndevank · 10th-century monastery on the Jermuk road
Museums in Yeghegnadzor
- Areni-1 Cave · The oldest known shoe and winery; small entry fee
- Gladzor University Museum · Copies of manuscripts and maps of medieval schools
- Yeghegnadzor History Museum · The regional museum in the centre
- Selim Caravanserai · Built in 1332; Arabic over the door, Armenian inside
- Vishapakar · An ancient dragon stone in town
Nature and day trips near Yeghegnadzor
- Bezoar Goat Observation Point · Binoculars, and early morning or evening
- Noravank · The red-walled gorge on the way to the monastery
- Jermuk · Mineral springs, a waterfall and forest walks
- Smbataberd · Ridge-top walls and wide views; a steep walk
- Mozrov Cave · Stalactite cave; only with a local guide
Where to eat in Yeghegnadzor
- Lchak · Armenian dishes by a small pond west of town
- Kari Tak · Grill house on the road out of town
- Harsnaqar · Regional dishes near the Noravank turn-off
- Abu Georges · Armenian and Lebanese dishes in Areni
- Ar Areni · Dinner with Areni wine in the village
- Old Bridge Winery · Tasting at the edge of town, close to the hotel
Frequently asked questions about Yeghegnadzor
What is there to see in Yeghegnadzor?
The top sights in Yeghegnadzor are Yeghegis Jewish Cemetery, Noravank and Areni-1 Cave. The full list on this page has 10 sights, each with a photo and a short note.
How many days do you need in Yeghegnadzor?
Three to four days are enough to see the best of Yeghegnadzor without rushing, including at least one walking tour.
Is there a free walking tour in Yeghegnadzor?
Yes. sleepntrip has 3 free audio walks in Yeghegnadzor, with no guide and no group: your phone tells the story at every stop. The first one: Yeghegis: princes and a Jewish community.
How do you get to Yeghegnadzor and get around?
The main ways are Yeghegnadzor bus station and Areni bus stop. Full details are in the transport section on this page.
Where to stay in Yeghegnadzor, and for how much?
sleepntrip shows only rooms in Yeghegnadzor that meet nine conditions: a good location, high guest scores, cleanliness, and a price of up to $80 a night for two. Pick your dates and see what is free.
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Only rooms that meet nine conditions, up to $80 a night.