? AD - Vayots Dzor Region

"Shativank Monastery - General View" © 2000 Raffi Kojian, All Rights Reserved

At 10.0 km from the Yeghegnadzor road is the second turn-off for Shatin, (1164 v, till 1935 Hasankend), where the Yeghegis river turns E.   Main attraction is Shativank*, a fortified monastery 3km E up the gorge.  Directions:  Toward the far end of the village, take the right fort down to the bridge and cross.  About 150 m further, take the right fork and then, about .5 further, the left fork steeply up to a tiny cemetery.  From there, a jeep road winds up and around to the monastery.  Preferable option, particularly for the jeepless, is to walk up the gorge, a rewarding 45-minute climb.  The path can be found by taking the left fork above the bridge, going about 100 m until 15 meters before a white-painted garage gate.  On the right, between a telephone pole and an iron rod, a faint trail ascends steeply.  At the power pylon on the spine to the left, the path becomes wide and clear.  Inside a substantial fortification wall, Shativank consists of the S. Sion Church rebuilt in 1665, two-story monks and guest quarters (SE corner is best preserved), a grain storage silo (NW), khachkars, and (outside the walls SE) a waterworks.  Other antiquities in the vicinity reportedly include Berdakar fort (2 km S, 5th c.), Shatin bridge, a shrine S, and a 10th c. church in Hostun.

"Shativank Monastery - Interior View" © 2000 Raffi Kojian, All Rights Reserved

"Shativank Monastery - Grain Silo" © 2000 Raffi Kojian, All Rights Reserved

"Shativank Monastery - View inside hallway of fort" © 2000 Raffi Kojian, All Rights Reserved