Off Road Tour: Smbataberd, Zorats Church & Horbategh geyser – Vayots Dzor Province, Armenia

EXPERIENCE

Embak on an off-road trup to Smbataberd. The walls of the fortress with their gates remind the city of Ani. A beautiful and unrepeatable road awaits us before reaching the impregnable fortress of Prince Smbat. During this off-road tour, we will also visit Zorats Cathedral, which is the only one nowadays with its unique history and structure. It is the only one whose tabernacle has a special height, because it was a holy place where soldiers going to war entered on horses to receive a blessing. This tour brings together the past and the present, traveling through the 5th-14th centuries in a special current vehicle. After getting your dose of adrenaline during the off-road tour, wrap up the day at the beautiful and colorful guest house with tea and sweets.

-Smbataberd is a defense complex located in Vayots Dzor province, built by Prince Smbat of Syunik, which is the reason why the fortress is also called Smbat Fortress. The castle is divided by a wall into two parts, northern and southern, in which the ruins of the citadel, residential buildings, and water basins have been preserved. The water was brought from the springs near the Tsaghats Kari monastery by aqueduct.

-Zorats church is located in Yeghegis village and has a very interesting history. Seeing the church, one can immediately notice that its dome is higher than that of other churches. The reason is that before the wars, soldiers always entered the church on horses to pray and receive a blessing, that’s why the church is also known as the Soldier’s Church by the locals. It was built in the 14th century by Stepanos Tarsayich, Metropolitan of Syunyats province.

-Noravank or Amaghu Monastery is an Armenian apostolic monastery complex built in the 13th-14th centuries. The monastery is located about 3 km from the village of Amaghu in Vayots Dzor. According to legend, Master Momik falls in love with the daughter of prince of Syunik. The prince promises him to let him marry his daughter if he builds a unique building for the prince in 3 years. Momik, accepting the condition, starts construction and near the end of time, when Momik has almost finished the construction, the prince sends his servant to Momik. The young master was killed, he was pushed down the steeple of the church

-The Horbategh geyser is located in the village of Horbategh, Vayots Dzor region.

HIGHLIGHTS

Discover the history of Smbataberd fortress and Zorats Temple.
Experience the emotions of off-roading.
Enjoy snacks and tea/coffee in open air

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