Vorotnavank

Description

Vorotnavank (Armenian: Որոտնավանք) is a monastic complex located along a ridge overlooking the Vorotan gorge, between the villages of Vaghatin and Vorotan, about 14 km east of Sisian in the Syunik Province of Armenia. The complex is surrounded by a high stone wall for defense against foreign invasions and once housed workshops, stores, a seminary, resort, cemetery and an alms-house. A pillar stood in the yard of the monastery symbolizing that there were monks entering into religious service and kings inaugurated at this location. Hovhan Vorotnetsi (1315-1398), an Armenian medieval philosopher and theologian as well as the founder of Tatev Vardapetaran University lived and worked at the monastery.