In the Middle Ages, Vayots Dzor hosted Silk Road travelers as well as powerful Armenian principalities, including the renowned Proshian and Orbelian families, who constructed many unique medieval churches, fortresses, and caravanserais (rest stops for Silk Road travelers and their animals).
In addition to being a region of dynastic power and trade, Vayots Dzor was home to Gladzor University, one of the oldest academic institutions in Armenia. At the university, students had a rigorous syllabus that included Theology, Philosophy, Astronomy, and Geometry. Today you can visit the Tanahat monastery where it is believed the university was located along with a museum dedicated to this famous institution.
Fragments of medieval khachkars (cross-stones) (Photo by Stephanie Moore, My Armenia Program, Smithsonian Institution and USAID)
Tanahat monastery (Photo by Stephanie Moore, My Armenia Program, Smithsonian Institution and USAID)
Orbelian Caravanserai (Photo by Vladimir Grigoryan, AMAP Human Development NGO)
St. Astvatsatsin church, Noravank monastic complex (Photo by Sossi and Ara Madzounian, My Armenia Program, Smithsonian Institution and USAID)
Millennia of History: Vayots Dzor Through the Ages
Vayots Dzor Through the Ages