Armenia Sightseeing: Monasteries and Temples

October 18, 2026

Travel advice: the UK FCDO advises against all travel within 5 km of Armenia’s eastern border with Azerbaijan and along the M16/H26 road between Ijevan and Noyemberyan; the US lists Armenia at Level 2 and tells travellers not to go to the Azerbaijan border region. The main sights in this guide lie outside those areas, but check gov.uk and travel.state.gov before you go and stay on main roads in Syunik and Tavush.

Armenia’s best-known sights are monasteries, churches and one Hellenistic temple, most of them within a day of Yerevan. Prices are in Armenian dram (AMD), with rough dollar figures at about 370 to 390 AMD to the dollar. Entry fees and hours at several sites come from secondary sources, so check before you go.

Garni Temple

Garni is a 1st-century Hellenistic-style temple; the colonnaded building seen today was rebuilt in the 1970s. A foreign adult ticket is about 1,500 AMD (about $4), and Armenian citizens pay about 750 AMD. The site is open daily in daylight hours, so check at the gate. It lies about 30 to 35 km from Yerevan. The gorge below, with its basalt columns, is a State Natural Monument and climbing on the columns is prohibited.

Geghard Monastery

Geghard is carved into rock in the upper Azat valley, and its rock-hewn chapels are the draw. Entry is free and parking is about 200 AMD. UNESCO lists it as the Monastery of Geghard and the Upper Azat Valley; Garni is not part of that listing. Hours vary by source, so plan for daytime.

Khor Virap

Khor Virap stands about 43 km from Yerevan, a few hundred metres from the Turkish border fence. Entry is free, and hours vary by season. The monastery’s pit is reached by a steep ladder. Mount Ararat is the view from here, but the mountain itself is in Turkey.

Echmiadzin and Zvartnots

About 20 km from Yerevan, Holy Echmiadzin is the seat of the Armenian Church. The Mother Cathedral reopened in September 2024 after a restoration of roughly six years and is open daily, though it fills during Sunday liturgy. The Treasury Museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:30 to 17:30 and costs 2,000 AMD for foreign visitors; the Ruben Sevak Museum costs 500 AMD. The grounds are free. These are working churches, so dress modestly. The ruins at Zvartnots are a UNESCO site nearby, with a ticket of roughly 1,500 to 2,500 AMD, and may be closed on Mondays. See the Mother See museums page .

Booking guided visits

Tours covering several of these sites are listed on Viator and GetYourGuide .

Noravank

Noravank is a 13th-century monastery complex under red cliffs, the work of Momik, about 120 km from Yerevan and roughly 2 hours each way. The grounds are free, and the small museum costs about 500 AMD. It pairs with Khor Virap and the wine village of Areni.

Tatev Monastery

Tatev Monastery in Syunik is free to enter. You reach it by the 5,752 m Wings of Tatev cable car or by road. The cable car is open Tuesday to Sunday and runs about 12 minutes; one way costs 6,500 AMD from March to November. Allow a night in Goris, because Yerevan to Tatev takes 4.5 to 5.5 hours each way. See the official cable car page .

Sevanavank

Sevanavank is a monastery on the peninsula over Lake Sevan, about 1.5 to 2 hours from Yerevan. Check any fee or opening hours on arrival. The lake lies at about 1,900 m, and the wind can rise suddenly.

Haghpat and Sanahin

These two UNESCO monasteries in Lori province are about 16 km apart. Free entry is reported by secondary sources. They make a long day from Yerevan or an overnight in Alaverdi.

Tsitsernakaberd, the Armenian Genocide Memorial and Museum

Tsitsernakaberd is the national memorial and museum to the victims of the Armenian Genocide, at 8/8 Tsitsernakaberd Highway in Yerevan. Visit in quiet, respectful dress; photography rules are posted at the entrance. Admission is free, and donations are welcome.

The museum is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10:00 to 17:00 (last entry 16:30) between 15 February and 15 November, and from 11:00 to 16:45 (last entry 16:15) between 15 November and 15 February. On Sunday it opens from 11:00 to 15:00 (last entry 14:30). It is closed on Monday and on 31 December, 1 January and 9 May, with extended hours on 24 April. Opening hours for the grounds are not confirmed on the official page.

Guided tours are booked by phone, up to 60 days ahead. A tour in Armenian costs 5,000 AMD for 1 to 10 visitors. In Russian, English, French or German it costs 7,000 AMD for 1 to 10 visitors or 10,000 AMD for 10 to 20. Tours are not offered to children under 13. Eating, drinking and smoking are not allowed inside, and parking is free. Details are on the official site .