Khor Virap

Khor Virap is a monastery located in Armenia that was first established in 642 CE. Khor Virap is one of the most sacred and visited sites in Armenia primarily due to the legend of Saint Gregory the Illuminator who was imprisoned for 13 years in Khor Virap’s dungeon before succeeding in the conversion of King Tiridates (Trdat) the Great to Christianity in the first decades of the 4th century CE. During the Middle Ages, Khor Virap was a center of education and learning, and despite a colossal earthquake in 1679 CE, it remains a site of pilgrimage and immense cultural interest to Armenians today. The monastery consists of the St. Gevorg Chapel, the St. Astvatsatsin Chapel, a large courtyard, and fortified walls.

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