Havuts Tar monastery complex

The Havuts Tar monastery complex (located to the east of Garni, on the left shore of the Azat River) was a remarkable midcentury religious and cultural center of Armenia. According to Mkhitar Airivanatsy, in the 10th century Gevorg Marzpetuni built the St.Amenaprkich church. And according to the inscriptions, it was rebuilt once again in 1013 by Grigor Magistros.

The rising of Havuts Tar occurred during the 12-14th centuries and ruined by the earthquake of 1679. In the 18th century the monastery was reconstructed by Catholicos Astvatsatur. The monastery complex consists of two groups of structures. The main church (13th century) which is of the western group, is a crussiform type from the inside and rectangular from outside. It is built from reddish shaved tuf. The roof and the vault are ruined. From the south there are two attached chapels (now half-ruined).

The eastern group was reconstructed in the first half of the 18th century, the stones for which were used was from the entry and Grigor Magistros’ church. On the ruins of this church in 1721 the St.Karapet church by Catholicos St.Astvatzatzin (Holy Virgin) was built, which remained unfinished because of Lezgin’s invasion. On the north side there are livable rooms attached to the fort walls, and from the south-west side a guest-house.