The Tatev Monastery

by Isabelle Adourian (August 2019)

These past few days I have been taking advantage of the fact that my mom brings students over to Armenia and shows them all the famous sights. So today, I am at Tatev. Tatev is a historic and famous monastery complex in one of the most beautiful parts of Armenia. Unfortunately we only got  to see the monastery and not the surrounding area, which includes a cave village and a swinging bridge, mountain villages and churches, great hermitage of Tatev, Harsnadzor watchtower, and the Devil’s Bridge (Satani Kamurdj). I know, it’s a lot, but definitely worth it. But now about the monastery.  

First off, the  location is beautiful. If you ever plan on coming to Armenia, Tatev is a must-see. Now, as wonderful as my mom is, she is a professor. Yes, a very accomplished one, but she is still a professor. That’s not a bad thing, except that when she looks at writing, she expects information. So, before you read the rest of this post, I will provide you with all the information needed in a hopefully compelling way.

Tatev is one of the most well-known and impressive monastery complexes in Armenia, considering it was built in the 9th century A.D. In fact, it was once a scholastic, enlightenment, and spiritual center during medieval times. According to the Tatever/Wings of Tatev website, Tatev includes many features that seem straight out of a storybook, such as mighty fortress walls lining immense cliffs, an ancient olive oil mill with stone grinders, a swinging pillar (a pillar that is mounted on a hinge and able to sway), the tomb of Grigor Tatevatsi (hence the name Tatev), the last saint of the Armenian church, and ancient frescoes by European masters. Interested yet? Did I mention the highlight of my visit: the many, many, many underground tunnels. And if that isn’t enough, you need to take the world’s second-longest reversible aerial tramway in the world to reach the monastery. The monks that lived in the monastery equipped the monastery with a dining room, a library, a bell tower, and much more.

Since you are already learning about Tatev, you might as well learn about the surrounding area also, because it also contains an astonishing backstory and a compelling history. Near Tatev is a cave village and a swinging bridge (after my parents returned from their trip there last year, they were amazed at how scary the bridge was!). This bridge leads to a historic cave village called Khndzoresk, which is located on the steep slope of a gorge and contains man-made and natural caves. The cave dwelling were established over a thousand years ago, and were in use until the late 1950s, when Soviet officials declared the caves as “unfit” and “uncivilized”,  forcing the villagers to leave. At the height of its success, the village is estimated to have had 15,000 villagers. Because the residences were carved on top of and surrounding each other, a complex system of ropes and ladders was used to get around. According to the TaTever website, the village even had two churches and three schools. And, adding to the adventure, in order to reach the caves a visitor would have to cross a swinging ladder. The 160 meter long suspended bridge was built using local funds and labor in 2012. The bridge is said to sway with every step, which makes it even more appealing to certain tourists.

(More about the cave dwellings here.)

There are also numerous mountain villages and churches scattered in the area, although they do not currently operate they are still a must see. First on the list, is Old Khot Village, which houses the Mrgadzori Khach (Cross of the fruit ravine) church. According to the TaTever website, the locals claim that the church was built by ‘a famous beauty having fled the harem of Shah Abbas of Persia.’ 

Next up is Yeritsatumb village. Yeritsatumb village is known for St. Minas church (1821) and its waterfall and basin. The water from the basin is said to cure children from illnesses and women from infertility. The church is covered in vegetation in the summer, and the roof and walls become enveloped with forget-me-nots.

Another astonishing landmark is Old Halidzor. The village was gifted to the Tatev monastery in the 10th century and belonged to the monastery for another nine centuries. The architectural design of the homes was key to the survival of the inhabitants. The roof of one stone home served as the courtyard and floor of another, creating a cascade like design on the slanted cliffside. This style was used often for Armenina alpine villages.

Last but not least is Old Shinuhayr Village. Shinuhayr means ‘father of settlements’, suggesting that it is one of the oldest settlements in Syunik, a town in the area. The exact age of the village, however, is unknown. According to the TaTever website, the 10th century is mentioned in some written documents. It is believed that a strong earthquake in the 13th century destroyed the village’s main church. The church was rebuilt and remains in Old Shinuhayr, in the Vorotan river. There is also a cemetery with many ancient gravestones, one of which is a three meter tall cross stone, dating from the year 1261.

Another interesting attraction is the Great Hermitage of Tatev (Tatevi Mets Anapat). Located on the bank of the Vorotan river are the ruins of the shelter of the Kharants Hermits (Great Hermitage of Syunik). Founded by monks between 1608 – 1613, the earthquake of 1658 forced the monks to relocate. The hermits built a new shelter several kilometers from Kharants (monastery complex the great hermitage of tatev). The hermitage of Tatev can be seen from the cabin windows on the wings of Tatev tramway. 

The Harsnadzor watchtower, which can also be seen from the tramway, used to be part of a system of warning in case of an attack. The watchtower is located above the gorge. It was part of the chain of warnings developed in the Zangezur Mountains. When an enemy was spotted, the guards in Kordzor would ring the bell at the watchtower, then the guards at harsnadzor would ring the bell at their watchtower, then the bell would be rung at the tatev monastery. The bell at the monastery could be heard across a distance of 50 km. Enemies broke the system when they burned the bell in Khot, the village where one of the watchtowers was located. Now, at the Harsnadzor watchpoint the chains that once supported the bell can be seen.

The last, but one of the most interesting landmarks in the area, is the Devil’s bridge. The Devil’s bridge is located beneath the monastery in the 500 meter gorge of the Vorotan river. The bridge was created naturally, crafted by the wind and water, making the petrified lava look alive. The warm springs below the natural bridge is the perfect temperature for a swim, and the stalactites surrounding the springs make for a great view.  There are even hidden grottos below the spring that make the scene seem like something out of a dream.