See & Do
Armenia is scattered with thousands of religious monuments that are ornately designed and beautiful detailed. Keep an eye out for the delicate patterns and precise carvings in stone...
A khachkar, also known as an Armenian cross-stone, is a carved, memorial stele bearing a cross, and often with additional motifs such as rosettes, interlaces, and botanical motifs. Khachkars are characteristic to Medieval Christian Armenian art. Most early khachkars were erected for the salvation of the soul of either a living or a deceased person. Otherwise they were intended to commemorate a military victory, the construction of a church, or as a form of protection.
The symbolism and craftsmanship are inscribed in the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
A vishapakar, also known as “serpent-stones” or “dragon-stones,” are characteristic menhirs found in large quantities in the Armenian highlands and in sources of water. They are commonly carved from one piece of stone into a cigar-like shape with fish heads or serpent heads.
There are currently 150 vishaps in existence, of which 90 were found in Armenia.