Marmashen Monastery

Marmashen was founded around 988 by the prince Vahram Pahlavuni and sits low in the Akhurian valley rather than on a height, which is unusual. Three churches stand together in dark red tufa, the largest with a tall drum and cone, along with the foundations of a fourth round church excavated nearby. The valley around is green and watered, and the contrast between the red stone and the grass is the reason photographers come.

What you actually see

• The main church - the largest of the group, around 1000, with a tall drum and conical dome.
• The two smaller churches - built alongside it in the same red tufa.
• The round church foundations - the excavated outline of a fourth, circular building.
• The valley - green riverside meadow along the Akhurian.

When to go

May to October is the season; Shirak winters are severe. Late spring is the greenest. Evening light on the red stone is the best of the day.

Honest expectations

The churches are usually locked and the interiors are rarely seen. The site is small and takes half an hour. The road out from Gyumri is rough in places.

Nearby

Gyumri is ten kilometres southeast, and Harichavank is east.