Amaras Monastery, Stone monastery in Sos, Azerbaijan
Amaras Monastery is a stone complex in Sos with fortification walls, a main church, and an underground burial chamber. Western staircases lead down to this burial space situated beneath the ground level.
The monastery was founded in 301 and ranks among the earliest Christian centers in the Caucasian region. Later, it served as a military border fortress for Russian Imperial troops during the first half of the 1800s.
The monastery's name connects to Armenian writing culture, as it hosted one of the earliest teaching centers in the region. Visitors can explore the spaces that once served learning and manuscript work.
Access to the underground chamber is through the western staircases, which require careful footing as you descend. The site is generally open to explore, though visitors should expect uneven ground and narrow passages throughout the complex.
The underground burial chamber is reached through narrow western stairs and was long the most secretive part of the complex. This hidden chamber with its tight proportions shows how early inhabitants created burial space beneath the earth.
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