Vahanavank

A medieval monastery near the town of Kapan in the far south of Armenia, founded in the 10th century by a prince of the local Syunik dynasty. Its churches served as a burial place for members of the royal house, and the complex was an important religious and political centre of the medieval kingdom. Damaged over the centuries and by earthquakes, parts have been restored in modern times. Set on a wooded slope with mountain views, the monastery attracts visitors interested in the history of the medieval Armenian principalities.