The Nor Varagavank monastery complex is one of Armenia's outstanding medieval monuments. It is located in the Tavush region and was built between the 12th-13th centuries by the Kyurikid family. The monastery was an important religious and cultural center. It was originally called Anapat but was later renamed Nor Varagavank after the Mongol invasions destroyed another monastery called Varagavank, and its patriarch found refuge here. The complex includes several historic churches and chapels dating back to the 12th-13th centuries, including the Anapat church, the oldest structure from 1198, and the Holy Virgin church from 1224-1237.

2. The monastery complex Nor Varagavank is one of the
outstanding monuments of developed medieval times of
Armenia. It is situated 3.5 km southwest of Varagavan
village (till 1978 - Hakhum village) of Tavush district on
a high valley surrounded by woody mountains and
picturesque ravines.

3. Built in XII-XIIIcc the complex is the result of
building activities of the owners of Nor Berd -
the Kyurikids. The monastery was the center of
episcopacy and played an important role in
their lives. In Nor Varagavank worked the
religious and cultural figure of XIIIc Hovhannes
Tuetsi. In XIXc the abbot of the cloister was
Grigor Manucharyan, who in 1804-1828
together with his volunteer detachment took an
active part in freeing the Eastern Armenia.

4. In XII-XIIIcc sources the ensemble is called
Anapat. The newer name of Nor Varagavank is
the evidence of one of the most horrible periods
of history of Armenia. Running away from
Vaspurakan's Varagavank which was destroyed
by the Mongol's invasion, Patriarch Luke, who
had a «Surb Nshan» (cross) with him, wandered
looking for a new place and finally stopped at
Anapat monastery, which in the honor of
Varagavank was renamed Nor (new) Varagavank.

7. The Anapat church is situated in
the southeastern part of the
complex. It is the most ancient
erection of the ensemble. The
church was built by the son of
Vasak I, grandson of Kyurike II -
David Bagratuni in 1198, is a
two-apse church.

8. On both sides of the western entry
two splendid ornamented khachkars
are placed. They end with refined
semi-circles. The apses are
illuminated by two windows on the
eastern facade crowned by a
common belt on the top part of which
are situated relief images of animals
and stylized vegetable motifs.

9. The two-storeyed burial vault joins the
northern wall of the church Anapat. The
same David built it in 1200 as an
ancestral script. The monument differs
by its original volume-spatial
composition. Over the original chapel-
like building with a rectangular base
(3.50x2.30 m) and vaulted roof built in
the beginning of XIIIc was attached a
cylindrical structure with a conic end,
from which the bottom rows of stone
remain.

10. On the first story, serving as bearing on the
southern side are arches with bays 1m high
joining the church Anapat, forming a divide
under itself.
The two-storeyed chapel joins the church
Anapat from south. It was built in the
beginning of XIIIc. It has a scheme and
layout similar to the burial-vault. The
difference is only in size (4.50x3.20m).
The church of the St.Astvatzatzin (Holy
Virgin) is the most important building of the
complex.

11. According to the inscription and
information, given by Kirakos
Gandzaketsi, it was built in 1224-
1237 by David's son Vasak II, and
was consecrated in 1240. The
architect was Gazan from Ani. The
church is rectangular from the
outside (10.25x15.40m) and
cruciform in the inside vaulted hall.

12. In four corners there are two-
storeyed side-chapels. The
church has two portals from the
western and southern facades.
The western entrance differs by
its magnificent decorative reliefs
in multi-colored in-laid stones.

13. A small vestibule joins the southern
wall of the church and adjoins all
three buildings of the Anapat complex
(the original part of the ensemble). It
was built in second quarter of the
XIIIc. Its layout was rectangular with
two supporting pillars, of which
remains the western wall with signs of
carved cornices and adjoining light
openings.

14. The big vestibule is situated in the
western part of the main church. By
the northern and partly by the
western walls it joins the rocks of the
relief. It was built after the small
vestibule in the XIIIc. The square
building with about 14m sides, is
covered without any supporting pillars
help - due to the use of two pairs of
intersecting arches.

15. The vestibule has two entries from southern
and eastern facades (the latter is a rare
example of cult architecture). To the
southwest and northwest of the complex two
chapels (XIIIc) are situated, by which there is
an old cemetery.
Khachkars of medieval and later periods can
be found in the complex. Among them
especially stands out the big khachkar in the
big vestibule with images of human figures,
created by master Vardan in 1620.