Oshakan
The village where Mesrop Mashtots is buried, with his tomb under a nineteenth-century church and the alphabet carved outside.
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Mesrop Mashtots, who created the Armenian alphabet in the early fifth century, was buried at Oshakan, and the church of Surb Mesrop Mashtots stands over the tomb, rebuilt in 1879 with a crypt beneath the altar where the grave is. Children are traditionally brought here at the start of school. Outside, the alphabet is set out in carved stone letters along the wall, and there are khachkars and a garden around the building.
What you actually see
- The tomb crypt - Mashtots's grave beneath the altar, reached by steps.
- The 1879 church - the building raised over the burial site.
- The carved alphabet - the letters set in stone along the churchyard wall.
- The khachkars - cross-stones in the grounds around the church.
When to go
April to November is comfortable. Early September brings school groups in numbers. The church is generally open through the day.
Honest expectations
The visit is short, half an hour at most. It matters more to Armenians than to outside visitors, and without that context it is a modest village church. Parking is tight on busy days.
Nearby
Ashtarak is three kilometres away, and Aruchavank is west along the Gyumri road.
What to pack for Oshakan
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.