One-Day Jeep Tour: Spitakavor – Proshaberd – Vayots Sar – Church of Sion – Herher Reservoir

The tour begins with a visit to Spitakavor Monastery, located 7 km north of the village of Vernashen in the Vayots Dzor region. The area is dramatic, with deep gorges surrounding the monastery, and on a nearby hill you can see the ruins of Proshaberd Fortress, also known as Boloraberd.

The monastery complex includes the church, narthex, bell tower, and fortress walls. Its main church, Surb Astvatsatsin (Holy Mother of God), also called Surb Karapet in historical records, was founded by Prince Eachi Proshyan and completed in 1321 by his son Amir Hasan II. Built from white polished felsite, the church’s name Spitakavor means “white” in Armenian. The small building is topped with a tall drum and an elegant conical dome.

Spitakavor was a major cultural, educational, and spiritual centre of Vayots Dzor. It remained active during the 15th century and survived Tatar-Mongol raids. After the university in Gladzor closed in the 1340s, Spitakavor became an educational centre and scriptorium for the Proshyan family. The monastery reached its peak under Abbot Avagter, some of whose manuscripts have survived to this day.

The military and political leader Garegin Nzhdeh is buried at Spitakavor, with his gravestone erected on 17 June 1989.

Next, visit Proshaberd Fortress, also called Boloraberd, one of the most famous medieval fortresses in Vayots Dzor. Built in the 13th century on a high hill near Vernashen, it was the residence of Prince Prosh Khaghbakian.

The fortress had strong basalt walls and a water supply system, parts of which can still be seen today. Some walls and towers remain, but the inner defensive structures, armoury, barracks, and the princes’ residence were destroyed and are now buried under the earth.

From there, the tour continues to Vayots Sar, an extinct volcano reaching 2,586 metres, northwest of the village of Herher. Its crater is almost 125 metres deep. Historical records say its last eruption was in 735 AD, accompanied by a strong and destructive earthquake.

An earlier eruption, around 600 BC, buried the city of Moz, which had a population of 10,000. Moz was one of the major cities along the Great Silk Road, and the eruption caused more destruction than even the famous disaster in Pompeii in 79 AD.

The tour then reaches Surb Sion Monastery, 1 km northeast of Herher, on a small rocky hill surrounded by gorges. The monastery’s exact foundation date is unknown, but it is first mentioned in the 17th century. The complex includes two churches and a chapel. Inside the walled grounds, you can see monks’ cells, remains of service buildings, and a cemetery.

The Surb Sion (St John) Church is the oldest in the complex, built from carefully cut stones with a rectangular vaulted hall and semicircular apse. An inscription shows it was repaired in the 13th century.

Surb Astvatsatsin Church (Holy Mother of God) lies south of St Sion Church. It has a single vaulted hall with two equal semicircular apses at the east and was built in 1283 by Prince Vahram Shahurnetsi. Donor inscriptions from the 13th–14th centuries are preserved on its walls.

The chapel, attached to the north side of St Sion Church, is also a single-nave building made from carefully cut stones. In the courtyard, you can see khachkars (cross-stones) and gravestones from the 13th–17th centuries. The monastery is fragile and listed among the most endangered historical monuments.

The final stop is Herher Reservoir, located at 1,430 metres above sea level on the Herher River. The reservoir holds 26 million cubic metres of water. On its right side rises Dar Alaghes Mountain, offering a picturesque view.

(Price per vehicle, regardless of group size)

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