Haghpat
Haghpat ("Հաղպատ" in Armenian; "Ахпат" in Russian) is a village in the Northern Lorri province of Armenia, close to the city of Alaverdi and the state border with Georgia. It is notable for its Haghpatavank (Հաղպատավանք) monastery complex, founded in the 10th century and included in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list.
The monastery complex belongs to the Armenian Orthodox Church of Christianity, with numerous khachkars (stones with elaborate engravings representing a cross) and bishop gravesites scattered throughout the complex. The compex itself represents an outstanding and magnificent example of medieval Armenian architecture. It has been attracting increasing numbers of tourists, as numerous Armenian tour agencies have started including Haghpat in their itineraries.
The village itself receives little benefit from tourists and remains impoverished, with the majority of its residents keeping livestock and growing vegetables for food. Some residents are able to find work in the city of Alaverdi, about 10 km from Haghpat, while others gather berries (mainly blackberries and Cornelian cherry dogwood) from the nearby forests and sell them. Water is gathered from the numerous mountain springs, which are scattered in abundance throughout the area.
The village lies on a dissected plateau formation, a large flat area dissected by deep "cracks" formed by rivers, including the river Debed. The villages of Sanahin and Odzun, as well as a part of Alaverdi, lie in plain view on neighbouring sections of the plateau, however a steep and long descent to and ascent from the river is required to travel to them.