Noravank

St. Astvatsatsin (Holy Mother of God) two-storey church with St. Karapet church and St. Gregory's chapel to the right.

Noravank (Armenian: ) is a 13th century monastery, located 122 km from Yerevan in a narrow gorge made by the tributary of the river Arpa, in Vayots Dzor, Armenia, nearby the city of Yeghegnadzor.

Noravank, which literally means new monastery in Armenian was founded in 1205 by Bishop Hovhannes, the former Abbot of Vahanavank. The monastic complex includes the church of St. Karapet, St. Gregory's chapel with a vaulted hall, and the church of St. Astvatsatsin (Holy Mother of God). Ruins of various civil buildings and khachkars are found within the limits of the fencing and outside. Noravank was the residence of the Orbelian princes. St Karapet houses Prince Smbat Orbelian's mausoleum. The church was built by the decree of Prince Liparit Orbelian between 1216-1227. An earthquake destroyed the dome of the church in 1340 and in 1361, the dome was reconstructed by the architect Siranes. In 1931, during another earthquake, the dome was damaged. St. Astvatsatsin Church, built in 1339, by Prince Bourtel Orbelian was designed by a famed painter, sculptor and architect named Momik. St. Gregory chapel contains many tombstones of the members of Orbelian noble clan. The fortress walls surrounding the complex were built in the 17th-18th centuries. In 1949, the roof and the walls of the two-storied St. Karapet church were repaired and finally completely renovated in 1998 with the aid of a Canadian-Armenian family.

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