Goshavank: the monastery of the jurist Mkhitar Gosh and the lace khachkar

The village of Gosh sits on a hillside above a valley of beeches, 20 km from Dilijan, and the monastery occupies a spur in the middle of the houses: two tuff churches, a gavit, a tall building with a bell tower and, in front of a chapel, a khachkar that people look at closely because it seems embroidered. This is Goshavank, the monastery of Mkhitar Gosh, and it is visited for three things: the man who founded it, that khachkar and the forest around it.

Mkhitar Gosh

He was a monk from Gandzak, today's Ganja, born around 1130, who studied in Cilicia and returned to northern Armenia to teach. Around 1184 he wrote the Datastanagirk, the first Armenian law code, used in Armenia and in the Armenian communities of Poland and Crimea for centuries, and a book of animal fables still read in schools. He lived at the monastery of Getik until an earthquake destroyed it in 1188; then, with the support of Prince Ivane Zakarian, he founded this one, called Nor Getik, New Getik, which took the name Gosh after his death in 1213. He is buried in a small chapel on the hill opposite, ten minutes on foot.

What there is

The main church, Surb Astvatsatsin, of 1191 to 1196, with a dome on a drum; the gavit in front, of 1197 to 1203; the second church, Surb Grigor, finished in 1241; the chapel of Surb Grigor Lusavorich, small and richly decorated, of 1237 to 1241; and the book depository, a two-storey building with the bell tower on top, of 1241 to 1291, which was library and classroom. The school of Goshavank taught grammar, music, philosophy and law, and copyists and miniaturists came out of it. There are no frescoes inside the buildings; what there is, is carved stone.

The Poghos khachkar

At the entrance to the chapel of Surb Grigor Lusavorich stands a khachkar of 1291 signed by master Poghos, with the cross surrounded by a web of knots and leaves so fine it looks like thread. It is one of the three or four most famous khachkars in Armenia, alongside those of Geghard and the Amenaprkich of Haghpat, and a copy is in the History Museum in Yerevan. There were two; the other is in the museum.

Gosh lake and the Tavush route

From the village a path climbs about two kilometres to Gosh lake, small, in the forest, and from there a marked route of about five hours continues to Haghartsin, the classic walk of the area. By car, Goshavank, Haghartsin and Dilijan fit into one day, half an hour between each. Free entry; there is a café in the village and families selling honey and jam at the gate.

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