Bgheno-Noravank

A small 11th-century church tucked into a forested valley in the southern Syunik region of Armenia, known for the delicate stone carving of its interior. Fine reliefs of figures and ornament decorate the walls around the altar, unusual for their richness in such a modest building. Long hidden among the trees and difficult to reach, the church survived largely intact. Reaching it involves a walk through the woodland, and the combination of intricate medieval sculpture and a secluded natural setting rewards those who make the effort.