St Astvatsatsin Church

Northern Armenia


Built on the site where legend tells us St Thomas buried Christ's swaddling clothes in the 1st century, the core of St Astvatsatsin dates from the 5th century but had considerable additions in the 8th century. The current building features plenty of carved bas reliefs, a central cupola, a handsome external pillared arcade on its southern side and two 19th-century belfries. The unusual funerary monument next to it is thought to date from the 6th century.

The priest lives nearby, and is always happy to show visitors through the church. He can often be found in the small garden cafe opposite, which serves tea, good Armenian coffee and home-made cakes.

One and a half kilometres to the southeast of the church, at the edge of the canyon, is the three-chambered Horomayri Monastery, the well-camouflaged remnants of which are visible below the cliff on the right.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Northern Armenia attractions

1. Kobayr Monastery

2.82 MILES

Perched above the hamlet of Kobayr is the 12th-century monastery of the same name. The main church has some partially restored Georgian-style frescoes and…

2. Sanahin Monastery

3.81 MILES

Sanahin is a World Heritage site packed with ancient graves, darkened chapels and medieval study halls. The inner sanctum of the cross-shaped Surp…

3. Mikoyan Museum

3.98 MILES

This Soviet-era museum is a shrine to brothers Anastas and Artyom Mikoyan. Anastas was in charge of administering food in the USSR and survived 60 years…

4. Hovhannes Tumanyan House Museum

5.78 MILES

Those who have already visited the Hovhannes Tumanyan Museum in Yerevan will find this timber house where he grew up interesting, but those unfamiliar…

5. Haghpat Monastery

5.83 MILES

Occupying a commanding position overlooking the gorge, this monastery has atmosphere and architectural splendour in spades. Founded around 976 by Queen…

6. Hnevank

6.59 MILES

Travelling between Stepanavan and the Debed Canyon, one of two possible routes passes the monastery of Hnevank, located on a winding road 7km from Kurtan…

7. Lori Berd

10.35 MILES

On a promontory between the gorges of the Dzoragets and Miskhana Rivers, this ruined fortress has huge towers and massive stone blocks along its exposed…

8. Stepanavan Dendropark

10.46 MILES

This cool and tranquil 35-hectare arboretum 11km south of Stepanavan was established in the 1930s and has a vast array of conifers and deciduous trees. It…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting:
    {
      "url": "armenia/odzun/attractions/st-astvatsatsin-church/a/poi-sig/1523664/1315973",
      "destination": "Northern-Armenia",
      "continent": "Europe",
      "country": "Armenia",
      "region": "Northern-Armenia",
      "position": "superzone"
    }