Church Surb Hovhannes of Byurakan

Byurakan was first mentioned by historian Catholicos Hovhannes Draskhanakerttsi in 10c., who made Byurakan his homestead, he built the church (St.Hovhannes) there and established the monks union. He also described the Byurakan fortress, where he was trying to escape from the Arabian gendarme Naser, but when he knew that the Arabian army was getting close he ran away to Bagaran. The citizens of Byurakan withstood the Arabian army for 7 days, but the Arabs burst into the fortress anyway, and slaughtered close to 200 citizens, and took many incaptives. Later Naser felt remorse and set them free.

The St.Hovhanes church was built in the first quarter of 10c. At the late mid-century the vault and entries were re-constructed, then double walls from the north and the west were built. In 19c. the church still had the chapels from both sides, where religious ceremonies took place, but in 1841 after re-building the vault of the church, the ceremonies were held there. In 18 c. the Catholicos Hakob Djughaetsi made Byurakan the property of St. Echmiadzin. And in 1874 Catholicos Gevorg IV made it the patriarch’s residence.

Around 1900, near Byurakan an obelisc was found, which supposedly was established as a boundary - stone by Artashes I. In 1929 in Aghvesadzor place , which is close to Byurakan, the tomb with weapons, tools, clay plates, jewelries was found.

In the village and its surroundings there the Amberd fortress (7c.), the Artavazik church(7c.), cemetery with cross-stones and others were preserved.