DRAGON LAKE (VISHAPALICH OR LAKE VANK)

• Arch of Charents

• Geghard Monastery

• Vishapalich (Deagon Lake or Lake Vank)

Today we will start our tour from the Arch of Charents located on the road to Garni and Geghard. The Arch of Charents is one of the favorite places of tourists as it offers a bizarre view of the biblical Mount Ararat. The Charents Arch was built in 1957 by architect Rafael Israyelyan and is dedicated to the famous Armenian poet Yeghishe Charents, who liked walking here. The words from the popular poem of Charents "I Love the Sun-Baked Taste of Armenian Words" are engraved on the arch.

Then we will continue our trip to the Geghard Monastery complex, one of the most impressive masterpieces of the Armenian spiritual culture and architecture. A part of the monastery is completely carved into the rock. The famous spear, with which a Roman soldier pierced the body of Jesus, was kept in the monastery. It was brought to Armenia by the Apostle Thaddeus, one of the first preachers of Christianity. Now it is kept in Vagharshapat, in the Museum of History. The main group of monuments of Geghard includes the main church of Katoghike, a narthex, two churches carved into the rock, and a tomb-chapel.

The last point of the tour is Vishapalich (Dragon Lake) or Lake Vank. The lake, located in the Geghama mountains at an altitude of 2620 m above sea level, is surrounded by the mountains Vishapasar and Azhdahak. The lake is located about 12 km from the village of Geghard. To get to the lake we will have to drive 15 km on a rocky and difficult road. The road passes through the picturesque Geghard gorge, from where we can admire the magical mountain scenery and see the Geghard Monastery.

It is worth mentioning that not far from the Dragon Lake, there are two vishapakars (dragon stones, the oldest monument, a stone idol), whose history dates back 2-3 millennia. The height of one of them is 3.5 meters, the other vishapakar is lower. A stork is depicted on the vishapakars.

Departure: 10:00

Arrival: 20:00

Departure place: Hakob Hakobyan str. 1/ next to the Mergelyan Institute