The Church Of Surp Nshan At Haghpat Monastery, Armenia Stock Photography

The location of Haghpat Monastery was chosen so that it overlooks the Debed River in northern Armenia`s Lori region. It was built, not on a peak, but halfway up a hillside on a site chosen to afford protection and concealment from prying eyes and also in response to a kind of monastic humility. It is built on a verdant promontory located in the middle of a mountain cirque, which is often wreathed in clouds. A peak on the opposite side of the river is over 2500 meters high. The monasteries of northern Armenia are not isolated, unlike their counterparts in the country`s arid regions. They were built in a village environment and Haghpat is surrounded by many hamlets.