Dsegh

Dsegh sits on a plateau above the Debed gorge and is where Hovhannes Tumanyan was born in 1869, the writer whose poems and folk tales most Armenians can quote. His house is a museum with family belongings and manuscripts, and the village keeps several medieval churches and a group of khachkars nearby. Paths run out from the village to viewpoints over the gorge, which is what makes it more than a literary stop.

Background

Dsegh stands about 13 km south of Alaverdi, high above the right bank of the Debed on a forested spur with the gorge to its west. From 1938 to 1969 the village carried the name Tumanyan, after the poet born here. It had 2,137 inhabitants in 2011 and sits at about 1225 metres. Among its historic sites are a medieval graveyard full of khachkars and two churches built in the 7th and 8th centuries.

Source: Wikipedia, "Dsegh"

What to look for

• The Tumanyan house museum - the poet's birthplace with family possessions and manuscripts.
• The medieval churches - several small stone churches in and around the village.
• The khachkars - carved cross-stones in the churchyards.
• The gorge viewpoints - paths out to the rim above the Debed.

When to go

May to October is the season. Autumn colour in the Debed gorge is exceptional. The museum closes on some weekdays and in the low season.

Before you go

The museum means most to visitors who know the poems; without that it is a modest village house. Roads up from the Debed valley are steep and narrow. Facilities are limited to a guesthouse or two.

Nearby

Alaverdi is below in the gorge, and the Debed canyon monasteries are along the valley.

Key facts