Gndevank, Medieval monastery in Vayots Dzor, Armenia

Gndevank is a 10th-century monastery on the Arpa River's west bank in Vayots Dzor. Its Church of St. Stephen is a cross-domed structure of four apses in smooth-cut basalt, with a circular drum and cupola. A vaulted gavit added in 999 stands to the west, and a fortified wall encloses monks' quarters and a refectory with a basement and fireplace.

Princess Sophia of Syunik founded the monastery between 931 and 938, appointing Priest Sargis as first abbot and entrusting construction to Priest Yeghishe. In 999 Abbot Christopher added the gavit, the earliest dated structure of its type. Abbot Sargis brought a canal from the Vararakn River in 1008, still in use. Persian Shah Abbas destroyed the monastery in 1604; Abbot Petros restored church and gavit in 1691.

The monastery's name is explained by a legend: Princess Sophia sold her earrings, called gind in Armenian, to finish the dome, and the monastery became Gndevank, the monastery of earrings. A second tradition links the name to the hermit Sufan Gnduni, its first abbot. In the yard stand khachkars and tombstones of the 10th to 16th centuries, and the south side holds a refectory with a basement and fireplace.

To reach the monastery, take the highway toward Jermuk and turn at Gndevaz village, where a hiking trail of about 45 minutes descends into the canyon. The path is fairly easy to walk but requires sturdy footwear and moderate physical effort.

In 1875 the monastery's sole remaining inhabitant, the monk Hovhannes Ter-Harutyunyants, found a cache of religious objects hidden in a secret chamber while working in the garden. The find came from a storeroom pit and included items dated to 1691.