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Khor Virap (Խոր Վիրապ), which literally translates to deep pit, is an Armenian monastery near the border with Turkey. It’s located about 30 kilometers south of Yerevan and attracts a large number of visitors.
Introduction to Khor Virap
Khor Virap, which sits on a small hill, was originally used as a royal dungeon for the capital city of Artashat, which was founded around 180 BC by King Artashes I.
When Tiridates III came to power in 298, he began persecuting Christians including his assistant Gregory. When Gregory refused to offer a sacrifice to the goddess Anahita, he was thrown into the dungeon at Khor Virap to die. However, he survived 13 years thanks to a local Christian widow who regularly dropped a fresh loaf of bread into the dungeon to feed him.
In the meantime, Tiridates went mad and was said to have behaved like a wild boar. His sister, Khosrovidhukt, repeatedly had a vision in which an angel told her to seek out the imprisoned Gregory to cure the king. Gregory was released and taken to Tiridates who soon came back to his senses. He then asked to be forgiven for all the atrocities he committed.
From that moment, Gregory began preaching Christianity to Tiridates, his court, and his army. The king converted to Christianity and proclaimed it as the state religion of Armenia in 301, making it the first country in history to do so. Gregory, who later became the Bishop of Caesarea, served Tiridates until about 314. He’s now known as Gregory the Illuminator (c. 257 – c. 328) and is the patron saint of Armenia. The monastery was founded in 642 by Nerses III the Builder.
Features of Khor Virap
From the parking lot, visitors walk down a path past several stalls selling souvenirs and religious items. From there, a series of steps followed by a path lead up to the walls of the monastery.
Along the way, you’ll pass a few religious statues and khachkars (cross stones) until you come to the entrance to the complex.
The complex, which is built like a fortress, consists of a chapel, a church, administrative buildings, a gift shop, and a small cemetery. Most visitors congregate in the courtyard between the chapel and the church.
Chapel of St. Gregory
The Chapel of St. Gregory is on a corner of the courtyard opposite the entrance. It was built in the 7th century atop the cell of Gregory the Illuminator.
The chapel is topped by a barrel vault and dark and humid on the inside. Just inside the entrance you’ll find stairs to a pit while the shaft leading down to Gregory the Illuminator’s cell is next to the altar. Paintings of the Dormition of the Virgin and the Descent from the Cross are on the rear wall.
To get into the cell of Gregory the Illuminator, you’ll need a lot of patience. People are constantly going up and down the ladder and there’s nobody controlling traffic. Space is limited in the cell and if it’s crowded you might have to wait a long time for a chance to go down. You’ll also need good shoes to climb the ladder. The steps are narrow and it’s a little slippery.
The cell itself is 6 meters (20 feet) deep and 4.4 meters (14 feet) wide. There’s a large niche with a cross and another smaller niche with another cross. Looking up, it’s possible to see the hole where the Christian woman dropped bread to Gregory. Finally, there’s a painting of Gregory the Illuminator surrounded by scenes of his life.
Church of the Holy Mother of God
In the center of the courtyard is the Church of the Holy Mother of God (Surb Astvatsatsin). Construction started in 1662 and it was completed later in the 17th century. The church is topped by a dome resting on a twelve-sided drum. The apse is nicely decorated.
Artashat City Settlement
13 hills around Khor Virap were excavated starting in 1970 to unearth the site of Artashat. The hill furthest to the northeast of the monastery, Hill 1, is the best preserved section of the city. It contains the remains of the citadel and palace, a square, the foundations of a main street, and side streets. Buildings include residential structures and blacksmith shops. 3,000 arrrowheads, swords, daggers, pottery, glass, ornamental metal, a marble statue, and other items were found there.
In addition to findings at Hill 1, the city walls were discovered between 1970 and 1986. They were roughly 10,000 meters long, between 2.6 and 3.5 meters thick, and 20 to 25 meters high. The citadel walls were 50 to 55 meters high. Ancient coins, pottery, and mud-brick fortifications have also been unearthed.
Views of Mount Ararat
From the flagpole at the top of the hill next to Khor Virap, there are spectacular views of snow-capped Mount Ararat in the distance. You can also see Mount Sis, or Little Ararat, to the left.
