Duration: 8hrs	Price without guide	Price with guide
Car (max. 3 passengers)	45 000 AMD	65 000 AMD
Minivan (max. 7 passengers)	55 000 AMD	75 000 AMD

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Dilijan is a town in northern Armenia. It's known for spa resorts and traditional craft workshops. The town is surrounded by the forests of Dilijan National Park.

The Geological Museum and Art Gallery displays archaeological finds and international art.

North of town, Haghartsin Monastery is a complex of stone churches. East, Goshavank Monastery is known for its intricate khachkars, or carved stones.

 

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Goshavank (Monastery of Gosh) is a 12-13th century Armenian monastery located in the village of Gosh in the Tavush Province of Armenia.

The monastery which has remained in relatively good condition also houses one of the world's finest examples of a khachkar.
Goshavank was erected in the place of an older monastery once known as Nor Getik, which had been destroyed by an earthquake in 1188. Mkhitar Gosh, a statesman, scientist and author of numerous fables as well as the first criminal code, took part in the rebuilding of the monastery.

At Goshavank, Mkhitar Gosh founded a school. One of its alumni, an Armenian scientist by the name of Kirakos Gandzaketsi wrote The History of Armenia. The architect Mkhitar the Carpenter and his disciple Hovhannes also took an active part in the building of the monastery.

The complex was later renamed Goshavank and the village named Gosh in his honor.

 

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The territory of the medieval monastery is vast and is occupied by St. Gregory church (11th century), St. Astvatsatsin church (1281), St. Stepanos church (1244), the 13th-century chapel, the tomb of Bagratids (12th century), the refectory (1248) and various premises built in the 12 – 13th centuries.

Haghartsin complex is located high in the woody mountains, where there are eagles and the name of the monastery from Armenian is translated as “games of eagles”. The image of this proud and strong bird can often be seen on the walls of Haghartsin.
The most ancient structure of Haghartsin complex is St. Gregory church. It was constructed in the 11th century by monks who escaped prosecutions from Western Armenia which was subject to Byzantium . The rectangular church is rather small. Internal space is cross-shaped. The church is crowned with cone-shaped dome on octahedral drum. In the end of the 12th century a small churchlet from blue basalt with vaulted arches and the room for prayers and burials was added to it.