Sevanavank, Medieval monastery at Lake Sevan, Armenia

Sevanavank is a monastery on a peninsula that extends into Lake Sevan at an elevation of around 1900 meters (6200 feet) in Gegharkunik Province. The two churches are built from dark volcanic stone and form a compact ensemble with cross-shaped floor plans, surrounded by a low wall that separates the complex from the open grounds.

Founded in 874 by Princess Mariam, daughter of Ashot I Bagratuni and wife of Prince Vasak Gabur of Gegharkunik, Sevanavank began as a monastery on a small island. Monks had settled there in the late 8th century, cutting a ledge in the rock to lay a wall and watchtower. King Ashot II Iron lived here and fought Arab troops nearby; the monastery walls were destroyed in the 16th-17th centuries, the last monk left in 1930, and restoration took place in 1956-1957.

The name derives from the nearby lake and points to the religious role the site held for centuries as a monastic community. Today pilgrims come here to pray inside the church and light candles while visitors admire the dark stone walls and narrow windows through which light falls onto the ancient floors.

The peninsula is reached by a broad stone stairway of around 200 steps that leads directly up from the shore. The climb takes several minutes and can be tiring in wind or strong sun, so early morning or late afternoon is often more comfortable for the ascent.

The carved wooden doors of Surp Arakelots and the carved capitals of its gavit are kept in Yerevan's History Museum. The monastery was founded in 874 by Princess Mariam, daughter of Ashot I, as recorded in an inscription in one of the churches.