Khor Virap, Armenian monastery in Lusarat, Armenia.
Khor Virap is a monastery in Lusarat, Armenia, built on a low hill near the Turkish border and consisting of several chapels, service buildings, and a main domed church. The walls of reddish tufa stone enclose a courtyard from which narrow passages lead to the different rooms.
A first sanctuary was built here in the early seventh century after Gregory the Illuminator had been imprisoned at this spot and later converted the Armenian king to Christianity. The current buildings date mostly from the 17th century, when the monastery was rebuilt after destruction.
The name Khor Virap means "deep dungeon", from the pit where Gregory the Illuminator was held. Pilgrims descend the metal ladder into the 6-metre-deep cell beneath the chapel of St. Gregory, built in 1661, and services are still held in the church of the Holy Mother of God.
Access is by paved road through flat farmland, and visitors can walk freely through the courtyard and churches but must descend a steep ladder to reach the underground cell. The site sits exposed with little shade, so a visit in early morning or late afternoon is advisable.
A narrow opening in the chapel floor leads to a deep pit that visitors can descend by metal ladder and which is plunged in complete darkness. Many people drop small stones into the depths and listen to the long echo that bounces back from the damp walls.
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