🏔️ Khor Virap: at the foot of the legendary Ararat
Mount Ararat is the most revered, famous and beloved symbol of Armenia. Not a bad set of epithets for a symbol… which is not even located in the country. Despite the fact that the mountain in clear weather is clearly visible even from Yerevan. In fact, it stirs the soul of Armenians from the territory of Turkey. How did this happen? And where should you go for the best views of the legendary Ararat? Read in our guide.
Holy Mountain
According to the Bible, it was at Mount Ararat that the legendary Noah’s Ark landed. Hundreds of scientists tried to prove or disprove this fact, but no one succeeded. Therefore, for the sake of stronger impressions and a sense of the importance of the moment, we take this myth on faith.
But the Armenians don’t need any proof. They are 100% confident in the sanctity of the mountain. During the Middle Ages, even attempts to search for the ark on Ararat were condemned. It was tantamount to blasphemy.
According to local belief, Saint James tried to climb the mountain three times. Each time he fell asleep halfway along the path and woke up at the very foot of it. The third time, an angel descended to Jacob and explained that attempts to rise and find the ark would continue to be pointless. If the saint could not unravel the mystery of the ark, then where are we?
Why do Armenians love Ararat so much?
How important Ararat is for Armenians can be judged by the state emblem. The outline of the mountain flaunts in its very center. What can I say, a visit to any grocery store will remind you of “Ararat Oman. “ “Ararat” candies, “Ararat” juice, “Ararat” jam and, of course, “Ararat” cognac, which has long been on the shelves of local stores.
And such an opportunity had to happen that Ararat, located on the Armenian Highlands, passed from Armenia to Turkey under the 1921 treaty. For the sake of strengthening the illusory friendship between the Soviet and Turkish states. This political decision broke the hearts of the Armenians.
From the border with Armenia to Ararat is 32 kilometers. It doesn't seem close. But Ararat is too noticeable from Armenian territory. We won’t be able to reach it, but we’ll be able to get a better look. To do this, we go to the point closest to Ararat, Khor Virap.
How to get to Khor Virap?
Bus
Khor Virap is located just 40 km from Yerevan. Getting to it won't be difficult. If you are used to traveling economically, then go to the Sasuntsi David metro station. There is a bus station next to it (on the other side of the railway station). Look for buses and minibuses following the route “Yerevan – Ararat” (the city of the same name) or “Yerevan – Khor Virap”. A ticket will cost about 1200 drams ($3).
Be sure to tell the driver that you need to visit the Khor Virap Monastery. He will stop at the location closest to him. It would be a good idea to find out when the return flight departs. Public transport in Armenia is not the most reliable.
Taxis and organized tours
As I already noted in the guide to Yerevan, Armenian taxis are an affordable form of transport even for our skinny pockets. Therefore, I recommend asking taxi drivers in Yerevan how much they will charge for a trip to Khor Virap and back. And be sure to bargain, no matter what price they name. It is quite possible to negotiate a trip for $20-25.
This option is also good because of the option of a guide included in the price. Talkative Armenians will tell you what to look for, tell you a couple of legends, and stop the car at the most photogenic point along the way. And they won’t be in much of a hurry to return. Rush is not in the local character.
Another option is to consider organized tours. They are offered on Republic Square in Yerevan, as well as on the Internet. For example , on the Explore Armenia website. Organized tours have two advantages. Firstly, you usually travel along a route that contains several tourist locations at once. In the case of Khor Virap, neighbors are often no less interesting Noravank and the Bird Cave. Secondly, traveling in a group allows you to save money. You pay for the car regardless of the number of passengers. However, this is a dubious budget option for a solo traveler.
Ararat. Close and out of reach
So we arrived in Khor Virap. I hope you are lucky with the weather. And your gaze has already rushed into the distance towards the mighty mountain. More precisely, the mountains. More precisely, volcanoes. Double shock, isn't it?
Yes, there are two Ararat: Big (height 5165 meters) and Small (3925 meters). They are located 11 kilometers apart. And just imagine, five thousand years ago, Ararat, already a venerable volcano, was quite capricious. This is evidenced by the finds of artifacts, and what is there to hide, human bodies under layers of lava. So, for people of the past, Ararat hardly evoked a feeling of tenderness as it does for you and me.
It seems that the stone blocks are just a stone's throw away. No such luck, they were 32 kilometers away from Turkish land, guarded, however, not very vigilantly. From the observation platforms of Khor Virap you can see the fence separating the two states and the control strip. And even the silhouettes of houses in the nearest Turkish village.
To take the best photos with Ararat, a tourist will have to work hard. There are several viewing platforms in Khor Virap. The best of them is located on a hill some distance from the monastery. Not everyone in the summer will find it necessary to spend the remaining energy to climb there. Know that laziness will cost you dearly: the most beautiful shots of the mountain, and with it the monastery, will be taken from there.
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Khor Virap: the story of turning a pit into a shrine
No matter how dear the views of Ararat are to you, it’s time to break away from them and go to the Khor Virap Monastery. For this landmark also represents the most important cultural heritage of the country.
For Armenians, Khor Virap itself, and not the distant silhouette of Ararat, is the reason for pilgrimage here. Khor Virap is translated from Armenian as “deep pit”. There really is one under the monastery. And you can go down there!
Those who suffer from a fear of closed spaces, be careful. A six-meter descent into the pit along a vertical staircase runs through a narrow hole, similar to a wormhole. And in the underground room there is very little space.
What did you want, there is a prison in front of you. In this uncomfortable, dark, cramped hole, Saint Gregory the Illuminator languished for 13 years. The same one who brought the Christian faith to the Armenian land. Actually, the ruler of Armenia, the pagan Trdat III, who repressed Gregory the Illuminator, did not like this. For many years, Trdat III was a terrible persecutor of Christians, taking their property and killing secret admirers of the teachings of Christ.
According to legend, years later Trdat fell into madness. The formidable king was cured of his mental illness by his prisoner Gregory the Illuminator. This forced the Armenian monarch to reconsider his attitude towards Christianity. And baptize his state in 301, making it the first Christian country in the world.
Church complex
Khor Virap does not live by pit alone. Today it is a modest church complex with a disproportionately rich history. In 642, Catholicos (head of the Armenian Church) Nerses built a white limestone chapel over the prison dungeon. Unfortunately, it has not survived. But in its place in 1662, the Armenians built the still existing Church of St. Astvatsatsin (Theotokos). There is also a belfry adjacent to it.
The appearance of the church is typically Armenian. Under a single round dome there is a dark, modest hall. I think that the builders were quite rationalizers: due to the tiresomely hot weather, they even erected religious buildings with a minimum of light inside with the expectation of rest from the scorching sun. We, children of temperate climates, are very grateful to them for this.
It seems that after the magnificent views of Ararat, nothing can surprise you in Armenia. Photos of the country's national symbol will truly become the pride of your Instagram. But there is still a lot of interesting things to do on our trip to Armenia!