GARNI - one of the oldest village of Armenia GARNI is located to the South-Eastern part of Kotayk region, on the upright side of the Azat canyon, which is 28km far from Yerevan. The village with a population of about 7.000 was founded in the third century B.C.

Few values of the historical and cultural heritage of the pagan period have reached us. There is only one architectural masterpiece of that period that we have today. And this is Garni Temple, which is a synthesis of cultural elements of Hellas and Asia Minor built right in the center of Garni Fortress . The presumable date of the fortress's construction is the 3 rd century B.C. and was restored in the 77 A.D.

In the canyon at the River Azat, the Garni bridge was built in the 11 th century. The bridge connects the village with the Havuts Tar chapel on the opposite bank of the river and is still operational.

GEGHARD - traveling 6km East from Garni, you will get to Geghard, one of the most renowned monasteries of medieval Armenia as well as one of the most venerated places of pilgrimage.

Geghard or Ayrivank (“ayr” –“cave”) was built in the 10-13the century. It is remarkable for its churches very high up and monolithically set into the rock. Throughout its history Geghard has been a vast cultural and manuscript –writing center.