Geghard

At the end of the Azat river gorge, northeast of Garni, most of Geghard is carved out of the mountain itself. The main church was finished in 1215, but the real experience is behind it: churches and chambers cut straight into the rock, where carvings emerge from raw stone and daylight falls through openings in the roof. Unlike most entries here, Geghard asks almost nothing of your legs. It is about 40 km from Yerevan, an easy day trip usually combined with the temple at Garni on the same road, which ends at the monastery. If no service is on, stand still in the rock chambers for a minute; the acoustics are part of the visit.