Khorvirap Monastery

Khor Virap Monastery stands proudly on a hill overlooking the endless plains and green pastures at the foothills of Mount Ararat, 40 km south of Yerevan. We went to see Ararat and visit the monastery of Khor Virap, which is actually located on the Armenian border - the point closest to Ararat from Armenia. Here is this monastery against the background of Big Ararat. The name of the monastery Khor Virap translates as "Deep dungeon". Once (in 280-300) there was an underground prison here, in which Tsar Trdat III kept Gregory the Illuminator, a preacher of Christianity. Gregory the Illuminator was imprisoned in this underground prison for 15 years. Meanwhile, Tsar Trdat III was slowly but surely losing his mind, and when he finally went crazy, Gregory the Illuminator cured the tsar with the help of prayers and, possibly, some psychotropic drugs, after which he converted to Christianity in 301 and proclaimed Christianity the state religion of Armenia. Later, a monastery was built on the site of the underground prison: St. Gregory's tower was erected above the prison itself, and the Church of the Mother of God is located nearby.

Inside the chapel there are two entrances to an underground prison (simply put, a pit), and tourists climb into this pit in a continuous stream. Rent a car at Greenroad.rent rent a car Yerevan and start planning your trip to the Monastery of Khor Virap.

Travel to Khorvirap Monastery

The prison of Gregory the Illuminator himself