Sevanavank Monastery

In the northwest part of Sevan Lake, on a narrow rocky peninsula, there stands one of the most prominent examples of medieval Armenian architecture – Sevanavank Monastery. In ancient times, the peninsula was stand-alone island. It was separated from the shore by 3 km of transparent water full of fish, which were caught by the monastery. The monks first arrived there at the end of the 8th century, and they built a small chapel and few cells. The island position was so convenient that the growing monastic brotherhood started to build a monastery there. First they cut a ledge in the rock and laid big stone blocks on it. Very soon the wall gained a watch tower, and little gate surrounded the island. Later three churches, cells and other structures were constructed.