Goshavank Monastery

Denomination: Apostolic Church
Date of foundation: XII c
Status: Active monastery
Condition: Good
From Yerevan: 117.3 km/ 1 h 50 min.

Goshavank monastery is located at 15 km to the east of Dilijan, in the valley of Getik river, the tributary of Aghstev. In the 12th century there was a monastery named Getik which was destroyed in 1186 of earthquake.
The greatest medieval thinker and legislator Mkhitar Gosh applied to Ivane and Zakare Zakarian princes to provide a land for establishing a monastery. He built the monastic complex which was originally named New Getik and after the death of Gosh it was renamed as Goshavank.
Goshavank was one of the most important cultural centers of medieval Armenia that had a high spiritual school-catechism. In this school the students were taught theology, philosophy, architecture, painting, art of writing, music. It is located on the top of a hillock. It was constructed during the 12-13th centuries. The Architectural complex included different small churches on different sides of the monastery, such as St. Astvatsatsin church, St Grigor Church, bell tower, and the tomb-chapel of Mkhitar Gosh which, accor-ding to tradition, contains the remains of Mkhitar Gosh.
The first church built in the monastic complex is church of St. Astvatsatsin entrance of which is from the porch which was built in 1191-1196 by carpenter master Mkhitar. Almost all the structures of the monastic complex are distinguished by high value interior, especially the entrances, which are decorated with rich tiny ornaments. The architecture represents a unique style in the two-story, bell tower, the first floor of which was built as a writing house and half a century later the second floor was added as a belfry.
The important part of Goshavank is the cross stone put on the west side of St. Gregory Church. In 1291 master Poghos erected this wonderful cross-stone which is famous for its tiny craft, which received, the name of “cross embroidery”.