Sevanavank Monastery

Sevanavank Monastery was founded in the 9th century and built from black tuff stone. The existing structures include the Church of the Holy Apostles (9th century) and the Church of the Holy Mother of God (4th century). Due to Soviet-era water projects in the 1930s, the lake's water level dropped, turning the original island in the lake into a peninsula. The monastery combines Byzantine and Armenian traditional styles, with a collection of cross-stones recording historical events since the 9th century. The side door of the Holy Mother of God Church preserves reliefs from the Mongol period. The monastery once served as a military fortress to resist Arab invasions and housed a seminary and library in the Middle Ages. A display case of 13th-century manuscripts is preserved today.