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.
The monastery was founded in the early medieval period when Christian communities sought places of retreat in the region. In the ninth century a princess commissioned two more churches on what was then a more isolated site, creating the ensemble seen today.
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 stone column capitals once carved on site are now housed in a museum in the capital. Inscriptions chiseled into the outer walls from the ninth century record names of builders and events that scholars only deciphered centuries later.
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