Tourist Attraction in Goght:
Geghard Monastery

Geghard monastery, near Goght in Armenia, is a unique building, embedded in the mountain and surrounded by cliffs, qualified as a UNESCO World Heritage site and located in the Armenian province of Kotayk. The monastery complex was founded in the fourth century by Gregory the Illuminator in a cave where a sacred fountain was located, while the main chapel was built only in 1215. The name originally given to the monastery was Ayrivank, meaning "the Monastery of the Cavern", is now known by Geghard, or more fully by Geghardavank, which means "the Monastery of the Spear", which name comes from the belief that the spear that wounded Jesus during the crucifixion was brought to Armenia by the Apostle St. Jude Thaddeus, where it was guarded along with other relics, currently being displayed in Echmiadzin. The canyons that surround the monastery are part of the canyons of the Azat River and are included in the zone defined as World Heritage. Some of the churches located in the complex are totally within the cliffs, others are little more than simple caves, there are still churches that are quite elaborate structures, with rooms and rooms built deep inside the rock. The combination of all these elements, together with the many engraved stone crosses, make this place one of the most visited places by tourists visiting Armenia. Many of Geghard's visitors also pass through the nearby Garni temple, a structure similar to the Parthenon that lies further downstream along the Azat River. Visiting the two places on a single trip is so common that they are often referred to as one, Garni-Geghard. According to the history, the monastery was founded in the fourth century by Gregory the Illuminated, in a cave where an underground source appeared sacred before the appearance of Christianity, hence the name Ayrivank (the Cave Monastery). The first construction of the monastery was totally destroyed in the 9th century by Arabs. According to Armenian historians of the fourth, eighth and ninth centuries, the monastery was composed not only of religious buildings, but also of well-tended service facilities and homes. Ayrivank suffered greatly in 923 with Nasr, a deputy ruler of the Arab caliph in Armenia, who plundered his possessions, including single manuscripts, and set fire to the magnificent structures of the monastery. Earthquakes also occurred to increase the damage.

Attractions in Goght