Alaverdi and The Debed Canyon: An Easy Travel Guide!
December 6, 2024
Menu
If you are traveling to Debed Canyon in Armenia, be ready for endless hiking opportunities, cute small villages, and a dozen old monasteries. One of these monasteries is Kobayr Monastery. It’s close to the town of Tumanyan and is often overlooked by foreign travelers because the popularity of the nearby UNESCO-protected sites of Haghpat and Sanahin overshadows it. Nevertheless, it’s absolutely worth a visit. In this guide, you can find everything you need to know about visiting this dreamy location!
Kobayr Monastery
Kobayr Monastery is often overlooked by foreign tourists traveling through the Debed Canyon. Close by, you can find Sanahin and Haghpat Monastery, a popular UNESCO World Heritage Site, and this overshadows the other monasteries in the canyon a bit.
Kobayr Monastery was one of my favorite monasteries, however. Until recently, it was in disrepair but today, renovation works are going on to restore this beautiful piece of religious medieval architecture to its former state.
Kobayr has a beautiful dreamy entrance gate that I firmly adored, a cool bell tower that overlooks the Debed Canyon, and some of the best sweets I’ve tried in the country, sold by local women on the way up to the monastery!
Kobyar Monastery was built in the 12th century in the Lori region of Northern Armenia. It was commanded by Princess Mariam, a daughter of the Kiurikid dynasty in 1171.
Later, it was acquired by the famous Zakarian noble family who were loyal to the Georgian court. This explains why there are beautiful frescoes inside Kobayr Monastery, a rarity in Armenia (but very common in Georgia!).
The monastery of Kobayr is therefore not a typical Armenian Monastery, but a Georgian-style Chalcedonian monastery.
Church of Kobayr Monastery seen from the bell tower
Together with the other monasteries in the Debed Canyon, Kobayr was an important educational and cultural center during the Middle Ages. In the 13th century, a lot of other extensions were built onto the monastery on the initiative of a local monk called Gregory.
Little is known about how the monastery got to the state of disrepair but after the Zakarians, it has been uninhabited for several centuries. Today, construction works funded by the government of Armenia and Italy are ongoing to restore the monastery to its former state.
Did you know? That the name of the monastery is probably a combination of the Georgian word ‘kob’ and the Armenian word ‘ayr’, meaning ‘cave’?
The monastery complex of Kobyar is not as elaborate as Hagpat Monastery or Sanahin Monastery. It is unique though, as it is built on the edge of a rock, surrounded by picturesque nature.
To get there, you’ll have to walk for 15 minutes through the small village of Kober first, a small hamlet that only has 15 inhabitants. This is where you can find a bunch of lovely local ladies selling souvenirs and sweets!
The Cathedral of Virgin Mary or Katoghike Church is the main building to visit at Kobayr Monastery. At the time of my visit, it was held up by construction pillars to prevent it from collapsing.
Even though in disrepair, the ruins of the main church are magical! The entrance gate that you can see in the photo below feels like a movie scene out of Game of Thrones.
Kobayr frescos and entrance gate
Inscriptions in the church suggest that it was built in 1281 by a monk called George who was the son of Prince Shahnashah Zakarian. The paintings above the altar of the big church depict frescoes of Christ, figures of prophets, and other Christian figures.
Next to the main church is the half-destroyed church of Mariamashen, the oldest structure of the complex.
In the middle of the complex on the north side of the Basilica, you can find a cute belfry tower. From the top, you have an amazing view of the Debed Canyon and a panorama of the monastery so it’s worth it to go up!
It was built in 1279 by the Zakanrian to serve as a mausoleum and today you can find the belfry burial-vault here of Shahnashah Zakarian and his wife Vaneni.
Other buildings on the site are the ruins of a refectory and a 12th-century church.
Getting to Kobayr is relatively easy from the city of Vanadzor. It’s about 40 minutes on an Alaverdi-bound minivan and you can just ask the driver to let you at at Kobayr Monastery.
Do note that public transport in the region is sparse. Getting there with a marshrutka might be easy, but it can be a little harder to get back as there is no bus station near Kobayr and you’ll have to flag a marshrutka down going back in the direction of Vanadzor.
The Debed Canyon seen from Kobayr bell tower
If you want to see more of the sites inside the Debed Canyon, I can highly recommend to base yourself here for at least four days.
I hitchhiked my way across the canyon and felt very safe but alternatively, you can also ask your accommodation to arrange a driver who can take you to nearby sites.
If you love hiking, don’t forget to download the Hike Armenia App. It boasts some great hikes in the area from Kobayr to Odzun and from Sanahin to Haghpat Monastery.
Before you visit, here are some useful things to know!
Kobayr Monastery Complex can be visited year-round and on every day of the year. It can get crowded though on summer days and weekends so the shoulder season is probably the best if you don’t want to share the site with too many holidaying Armenians.
I visited on a Sunday in October and had a pleasant experience. I forget that it was Sunday though so there were more crowds than I expected but it was mainly young Armenians from the capital who came there to hang out and play music. It fitted the scenery perfectly!
At the time of my visit, I didn’t encounter an entrance gate that could be closed off in the evening or early in the morning but there may be one in Kobayr village where the local ladies sell their goods.
If you want my advice, don’t bother to go before 9 A.M. as Armenians don’t tend to start their day early.
You can visit Kobayr Monastery completely free of charge!
Bell tower and view from above
There aren’t really any local customs to be aware of when visiting Kobayr Monastery aside from showing respect when walking inside the complex as it is a sacred place for Armenians.
Normally, women need to cover their head with a scarf when entering active churches in Armenia but this is not the case at Monstery complexes that are open to tourists.
If you happen to visit nearby Odzun Church too on your trip, a head scarf there is required!
There aren’t as many stalls at Kobayr as you can find at Sanahin and Haghpat but there are some! In my recollection though, they mainly sold food items like nut-based sweets, fruits, baklava, and drinks.
It is extremely picturesque though and I can highly recommend making a stop here and chatting a little bit with the ladies (with Google Translate of course). They were so happy to see us that they even gave us some treats for free!
There is a little parking space near the railway when you drive up to the Monastery from the M6 but parking space is limited to only a few cars.
If you come by car, try to carpool as much as you can!
Rock formations near Kobayr and Melqonyan’s Guest House and Coffee in village Kober
The road from the main entrance to the monastery is scenic but is not in the best state. It can be slippery in certain places when it has been raining and it involves a bit of rock climbing sometimes.
It also goes upwards all the way so if you are in bad shape, be prepared for a rather exhausting climb!
If you have some time on your hands, make a stop at the cute terrace of Melqonyan’s Guest House on the way from the parking area to Kobayr Monastery.
They sell delicious coffee and cakes here and you can also make this your place to stay for the night as it’s a guesthouse!
Small villages in the Debed Canyon
As I just mentioned before, if you are doing a road trip through the Debed Canyon, Melqonyan’s Guesthouse might be the perfect place to stay! There are however more scenic and cute places to stay in the Debed and I’ll list a few of my favorites below!
Chapel in Akner village and local medical transport
Here are my top picks in the region:
The Debed Canyon
If you want my advice, I wouldn’t visit the Debed Canyon just on a day trip from Yerevan or Vanadzor. The area is so rich in sites and cultures that it’s worth it to spend at least a few days in Lori Marz (Lori Province).
Here are some other sights in the region that are worth visiting!
Odzun Church
Accessible via hiking trails from Kobayr Monastery is the scenic town of Odzun with its incredible church and Horomayr Monastery. If I would go back to the Debed Canyon, I’d stay in this village!
Upper Horomayr (Saint Nshan)
Odzun church is a Basilica-style church built between the 5th and the 7 century. It is located in the middle of Odzun village in a great courtyard with the Debed Canyon’s mountains in the back.
Note that this is an active church and you’ll need to wear a headscaft here!
Our host Aren and Ben on the cliff near Horomayr
About two and a half kilometers from Odzun, you can Horomayr Monastery. This medieval Armenian monastery is perched on the edge of the Debed Canyon overlooking the River.
Second part of Horomayr built on the cliffside
It consists of two buildings, Saint Nshan Church located on the top of the cliffside of the canyon, and a smaller church perched on the side of the gorge, only accessible by a hiking trail that starts in the nearby village of Aygehat.
Sanahin Monastery
About 18 kilometers north of Kobayr Monastery lies one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of the Lori region: Sanahin Monastery.
This monastery is an exceptional example of medieval Armenian religious architecture and consists of two churches, vestibules, a library, an academy, a belfry, and various khachkars and tombs.
MIG at the entrance of the Mikoyan Museum
A little further down the road in Sanahin village, you can also visit the Mikoyan Museum. The museum is dedicated to two brothers from Sanahin, Artem and Anastas Mikoyan.
Artem was the builder of the famous fighter MIG planes while Anastas was a Soviet politician who played a crucial role in the government of the USSR in the mid-20th century.
Haghpat Monastery is another UNESCO-protected monastery in the region, famous for its incredibly well-preserved medieval architecture and rich history.
Aside from the churches, tombs, and belfry, you can also find the large refectory here that was large enough to accommodate over 200 people!
Hiking trails and views
One of the best ways to visit both Sanahin and Haghpat Monastery is by walking the World Heritage Trail. This trail leads via winding roads from Sanahin to the village of Akner and then down the canyon to the village of Haghpat.
You can find the route of the World Heritage Trail in the app of Hike Armenia.
Akhtala Fortress and Monastery
Last but not least, About 30 kilometers north of Kobayr, you can find Akhtala Monastery.
This monastery is also a Georgian-style Chalcedonian monastery and stands out because of its abundance of colorful well-preserved frescoes. Nearby, you can also find the socially conscious enterprise Nurik.
There you go! I hope you enjoyed this post about Kobayr Monastery in Armenia. Let the current half-destroyed condition don’t hold you back from visiting this monastery as it is a true gem!
Let me know in the comments below if you have any questions or drop me a message through my contact page.
Also, don’t forget to check out my resources page with my favorite booking platforms and tips to start planning your trip. Additionally, have a look at my favorite travel gear if you want to pack more consciously!
ENJOY!
Disclaimer: This post may include affiliate links. If you click on them, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
Coming soon!
Hi! I am Annelies and this is Travelers & Dreamers, a blog about conscious travel which means traveling in a more mindful way, with a positive impact on the world and yourself!
On this website, I cover different topics like slow travel, plant-based food guides, responsible travel, sustainable packing, eco-travel, and more!
Latest Posts
Alaverdi and The Debed Canyon: An Easy Travel Guide!
23 Best Thrift Stores and Vintage Shops in Rotterdam
24 Best Vegan Restaurants in Brussels: Tips From a Local!
Conscious Travel: 21 Easy Ways to Explore Mindfully in 2025
3 Beautiful Waterfalls in Luang Prabang, Laos
Do you want to receive my latest finds on conscious and sustainable travel directly to your inbox? Subscribe here!
© COPYRIGHT TRAVELERS&DREAMERS, 2024.