Goshavank, Medieval monastery complex in Tavush Province, Armenia
Goshavank is a medieval monastery complex in Tavush Province, Armenia, that includes several churches, chapels, and buildings once used for teaching. The complex sits on a wooded hillside near Gosh village and forms a connected group of stone structures built in the Armenian tradition.
Scholar Mkhitar Gosh founded the monastery in 1201 and turned it into a center of learning where students studied legal codes and religious texts. The complex became an important place for copying manuscripts and for intellectual development in Armenia during the 13th century.
The site carries the name of Mkhitar Gosh, a 13th-century scholar and legal thinker who wrote a code of law for Armenia. Stone carver Pavgos left behind his finest work in the complex, and today visitors notice his detailed patterns throughout the grounds.
The complex is reachable throughout the year, though spring through autumn offers comfortable weather and the surrounding forest is green and full. Sturdy footwear helps when exploring the grounds because the terrain is uneven in places and spread across several levels.
Within the monastery walls operated a medieval university where students learned Armenian legal texts and contributed to the development of Armenian jurisprudence. The monastery library once held numerous manuscripts, now kept in other collections, while the teaching rooms remain standing.
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