Kobayr Monastery

Northern Armenia


Perched above the hamlet of Kobayr is the 12th-century monastery of the same name. The main church has some partially restored Georgian-style frescoes and a detached 13th-century bell tower. There are also three chapels, one with a scenic circular balcony. Behind the main church is a beautiful slow-dripping waterfall that's also worth seeing.

You'll need to watch the road carefully to spot the sign leading to the hamlet of Kobayr (also spelt Khober or Kober), around 6km north of the Tufenkian Avan Dzoraget Hotel and restaurant. Leave your car in the small lot next to the railway line and clamber up the steep path, dodging chickens, pigs and other farm animals on the way. The steep climb takes 10 to 15 minutes.

Kobayr is about 18km from Alaverdi and 33km from Vanadzor. Marshrutky travelling the route between Vanadzor, Alaverdi and Noyemberyan can be flagged down on the highway but only pass twice daily.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Northern Armenia attractions

1. St Astvatsatsin Church

2.82 MILES

Built on the site where legend tells us St Thomas buried Christ's swaddling clothes in the 1st century, the core of St Astvatsatsin dates from the 5th…

2. Hovhannes Tumanyan House Museum

2.97 MILES

Those who have already visited the Hovhannes Tumanyan Museum in Yerevan will find this timber house where he grew up interesting, but those unfamiliar…

3. Hnevank

4.53 MILES

Travelling between Stepanavan and the Debed Canyon, one of two possible routes passes the monastery of Hnevank, located on a winding road 7km from Kurtan…

4. Sanahin Monastery

5.88 MILES

Sanahin is a World Heritage site packed with ancient graves, darkened chapels and medieval study halls. The inner sanctum of the cross-shaped Surp…

5. Mikoyan Museum

6.07 MILES

This Soviet-era museum is a shrine to brothers Anastas and Artyom Mikoyan. Anastas was in charge of administering food in the USSR and survived 60 years…

6. Haghpat Monastery

7.23 MILES

Occupying a commanding position overlooking the gorge, this monastery has atmosphere and architectural splendour in spades. Founded around 976 by Queen…

7. Stepanavan Dendropark

9.5 MILES

This cool and tranquil 35-hectare arboretum 11km south of Stepanavan was established in the 1930s and has a vast array of conifers and deciduous trees. It…

8. Lori Berd

10.81 MILES

On a promontory between the gorges of the Dzoragets and Miskhana Rivers, this ruined fortress has huge towers and massive stone blocks along its exposed…