Geghard Monastery

게하르트 수도원

Geghard is a medieval Christian monastery in Kotayk province, Armenia. Part of it is carved straight out of the mountain beside it, and tall cliffs of the Azat River gorge surround it. Its name means 'spear'. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with enhanced protection.

See it on the 3D globe →

At a glance

Country: Armenia
Location: Kotayk, Armenia
Built: 1215
Type: Religious building

Quick answers

Where is Geghard Monastery?

Geghard Monastery is in Kotayk, Armenia.

When was Geghard Monastery built?

Geghard Monastery was built in 1215.

A medieval monastery partly carved into the cliffs of the Azat gorge, with rock-hewn churches and a conical-domed church.

It is famous for its churches cut into the rock. Some are dug fully into the cliff, some are little more than caves, and others are grand built structures with rooms deep in the stone. The main church was built in 1215, and the monastery is one of the most visited places in Armenia.

Monastery of the Cave, then of the Spear

According to tradition, Gregory the Illuminator founded the monastery in the 4th century at a sacred spring inside a cave, so it was first called Ayrivank, 'the Monastery of the Cave'. The name Geghard comes from the spear that wounded Jesus at the Crucifixion, said to have been brought to Armenia by the Apostle Thaddeus and kept here with other relics. Today the spear is shown in the Echmiadzin treasury.

Built and rebuilt

The first monastery was destroyed by Arabs in the 9th century, and in 923 it was plundered and burned again. Earthquakes also did damage. The main church was built in 1215 for the brothers Zakare and Ivane, generals of Queen Tamar of Georgia. The partly carved gavit dates to before 1225, and rock-cut chapels were added from the mid-13th century. Many khachkars, carved cross-stones, stand around the site. Visitors often pair it with the nearby Temple of Garni.

Fun facts

Its name means 'spear', after the Holy Lance once kept here.
Geghard means 'spear'.
Its first name, Ayrivank, means 'Monastery of the Cave'.
Many visitors also go to the nearby Garni temple, and together the two are often called Garni-Geghard.