Excursion to Saghmosavank monastic complex - Lori berd - Stepanavan Dendropark

The Saghmosavank (lit. "monastery of the Psalms") is a 13th-century Armenian monastic complex located in the village of Saghmosavan in the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia.

Like the Hovhannavank monastery which is five kilometers south, Saghmosavank is situated atop the precipitous gorge carved by the Kasagh river. Their silhouettes dominate the adjacent villages and rise sharp against the background of the mountains crowned by Mount Aragats.

The main structures of the monasteries erected by Prince Vache Vachutyan-the Church of Zion in Saghmosavank (1215) and the Church of Karapet in Hovhannavank (1216-1221)-belong to the same type of cross-winged domed structure with two-floor annexes in all the corners of the building. Subcupola space predominates in the interiors of both churches, which is reflected in the exterior shapes of these structures.

Lori berd (Lori Fortress), historical and cultural  preservation stretched on a mountain plateau of almost triangle shape, situated approximately 1490 meters above sea level, bordered by deep ravines of Miskhana and Dzoraget rivers near  Stepanavan, Armenia.

David Anhoghin of Kyurikid’s branch of Ani’s Bagratid dynasty founded Lori Berd nearly in 989-1048.

The ancient Castle-resident occupied nearly 35 hectare  territory, and the citadel occupied 8.5 hectare territory of it. It was reliably protected by strong defensive which was rather tall, averaging 21.4m high.

At first Kyurikyans, than Zaqaryans and their successors built palaces, churches, baths, built bridges, set up cross stones in gorges separating the suburbs of the city.

The significance of the building opened on the edge of Dzoraget gorge, is still unknown. Assumed that it was a basement of palatial building and was standing until the XVIII–XIX centuries.

Officially Sochut Dendropark named after Edmund Leonowicz, commonly knowns as Stepanavan Dendropark, is an arboretum located near the Gyulagarak village, Lori Province.

Тhe park was founded in 1931 by Polish engineer-forester Edmund Leonowicz. The arboretum is 35 ha in total of which 17.5 ha consist of natural forest and 15 ha of ornamental trees.

This collection expanded along the newly constructed footpaths and vistas which began to reach into the natural forest and is thought to be the first place in the Transcaucasus, where a natural forest landscape had been reshaped into a Forest Park.

Seeds from the arboretum are spread throughout the world through Index Seminum published by Yerevan Botanical Garden.

(The price is given per vehicle, regardless of the number of participants)

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