Ararat Province

Best places to visit in Ararat Province

Ararat Province: Essential Pilgrimage and Ancient Wonders

Ararat Province serves as the historic heart of Armenia, home to the ancient capitals of Artashat and Dvin. The region is defined by the Khor Virap monastery, where Saint Gregory the Illuminator was imprisoned, and the rugged terrain of the Khosrov State Reserve. Visitors can explore the 13th-century Aghjots Vank, the fortified walls of Kakavaberd, and the well-preserved Tapi Berd castle. These sites offer a direct link to Armenia’s transition from paganism to Christianity against the backdrop of Mount Ararat.

Ararat Province: Essential Pilgrimage and Ancient Wonders — Map

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Khor Virap

Khor Virap is an Armenian monastery located in the Ararat Plain in Armenia, near the closed border with Turkey, about 8 kilometres south of…

Franck devedjian / CC BY-SA 4.0

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Artaxata (Artashat)

Artashat; Hellenized as Artaxata and Artaxiasata, was a large commercial city and the capital of ancient Armenia during the reign of king…

Liveon001 / CC BY-SA 3.0

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Dvin

Dvin was a large commercial city and the capital of early medieval Armenia.

Z galstyan / CC BY-SA 3.0

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St. Stepanos (Aghjots Vank)

Aghjots Vank; also known as the Saint Stephen Monastery of Goght, is a 13th-century monastery situated along a tributary of the Azat River…

Arman Grigoryan / CC-BY-SA

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Tapi Berd

Also known as Gevorg Marzpetuni Castle, this 10th-century fortification features a rectangular enclosure and a 13th-century vaulted church.

SevakArmenie / CC BY-SA 3.0

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Kakavaberd (Kaqavaberd)

Kakavaberd or Kaqavaberd (Armenian: Կաքավաբերդ, Eastern Armenian Kak’avaberd; also known as Geghi Berd, Keghi Berd or Kegh is a fortress on…

Liveon001 / CC BY-SA 3.0

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Dvin

Extensive ruins of the medieval Armenian capital, including the foundations of the 5th-century Cathedral of St. Gregory and the remains of the Great Palace.

Divers auteurs arméniens / Public domain

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Artaxata

Artashat, Hellenized as Artaxata and Artaxiasata, was a major city and commercial center of ancient Armenia which served as the capital of…

Travis K. Witt / CC BY-SA 4.0

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Mausoleum of Kara Koyunlu emirs

The Mausoleum of Kara Koyunlu emirs or Mausoleum of Turkmen emirs, also known as Emir Pir-Hussein Mausoleum, is a Turcoman mausoleum…

Z galstyan / CC BY-SA 3.0

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Aghjots Vank

Aghjots Vank; also known as the Saint Stephen Monastery of Goght, is a 13th-century monastery situated along a tributary of the Azat River…

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Khor Virap aligned with Little Ararat

A scenic vantage point providing a clear photographic alignment of the Khor Virap monastery against the backdrop of Little Ararat.

Arman Grigoryan / CC-BY-SA

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Sb. Harutyun ekegeci

The ruins of a 5th-century Christian basilica located within the Dvin archaeological site.

Arman Grigoryan / CC-BY-SA

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Sb. Astvacacin ekegeci

A 19th-century Armenian Apostolic church located in the village of Verin Artashat.

Arman Grigoryan / CC-BY-SA

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Surb Karapet

A historic church located in the village of Lanjar, reflecting the traditional ecclesiastical architecture of the Ararat region.