Hayravank Monastery

The monastery Hayrawank (Armenian Հայրավանք, also Hajrawank ) is a monastery of the Armenian Apostolic Church on a rocky hill near the village on the western shore of Lake Sevan Hayrawank in the Armenian province of Gegharkunik,

The small church dates from the late 9th century. It has a cruciform quatrefoil - plan with four semicircular apses. The two apses in the east and west are slightly more accentuated, so that the inner diameter in the east-west direction and 10 m in north-south direction is only about 9 m. Across the center room to drum and dome, both of which were restored after intermediate destruction charge. The dome is clad externally as octagonal pyramid. A little later added chapel of about 1.5 × is 3 square feet of indoor expansion on the south east corner.

The original entrance was on the south apse. In the 12th or 13th century about 14 × x 14 square foot vestibule ( Gavit ) west was added to the church, from which a new (second ) entrance into the western apse was broken. This building, oversized in comparison to the church, harmonized architecturally little with this. Two thick columns in the western part and two semi-circular piers on the east wall support very strong cross- bows, where a drummer and a relatively flat sixteenth -sided pyramid roof rest, both of which are completely built of black and red tufa - cut stones. This is one of the first examples of these multi-colored decoration, which in Armenian religious buildings became common in the following centuries. The north, west and south sides of the Gavits close up from flat with pointed roofs.

On the grounds immediately around the church there are a number of impressive Chatschkare, artistically hewn grave and memorial stones. The once built around the Church other monastic buildings such as residential buildings, library, school, etc are gone.