St. Cross preserving place- Akhtala monastery surpassed European renaissance passing through the invasions of Tamerlane and inspiring Pasolini of Armenian cinematography. It is truly full of mystifying legends and picturesque landscapes which attracts always attention of tourists and local people as well.
Akhtala is a 10th century fortified monastic comlex is situated in Akhtala Armenian village. The fortress’ territory is surrounded with breathtaking canyons.
Akhtala monastery is one of a few orthodox monasteries in Armenia, where St. Cross, by which, according to Christian tradition, St. John had baptized Jesus Christ.
In 1887-1889 French archeologist engineer and geologist Jacque de Morgan, discovered rectangular stone sepulchers near Akhtala, dating back to the 8th century. Another crypt from III millennia B.C. was found here. “This region is of special interest in the study of the origins of metals. Older than Europe and Greece, it still retains the traces of those civilizations that were the cradle of our own”,- wrote Jacques de Morgan.
The monastery of Akhtala is not only a harmonious synthesis of Armenian, Georgian and Byzantine cultures, but it is also a kind of thermometer to measure historical and cultural situation of the time.
The walls of St. Astvatsatsin church are covered with the beautiful, well-conserved frescoes, and only the face of Holy Virgin had been damaged by Tamerlane hordes. Next to the fortress there is a rock named for Tamerlane and probably one of his wives is buried beneath that rock.
So, Akhtala monastery testifies once again that Armenian people have been creating the values exceeding the limits of national.
Come to visit Akhtala monastery where you will be a witness of ancient civilization.
