Called the wonder of Artsakh or the Angel of Artsakh, its construction was initiated in 1216 after the invasion of Seljuk Turks by the Great emperor of Khachen Hasan Jalal. Ganzasar is one of Artsakh’s most enerated shrines. Its walls and dome are embellished with bas-reliefs depicting the Crucifixion, Adam and Eve, two ministers of the church holding a model of the church above the heads. The walls are covered with numerous inscriptions in old Armenian.
During the Karabakh war, Azeri groups bombed the Monastery, and one air-craft dropped a bomb right next to cathedral church and blew up the Father Superiors house. The wall keeps one unexplored bomb in the north part of the fence. The Monastery was rebuilt by the donation of Vank village born Armenian Levon Hayrapetian, who has also built a wonderful rest-place on Khachen River.