Horomayr Monastery

VISITOR INFORMATION

📍 Location: Lori Province, southeast of Odzun village, on the edge of the Debed Gorge
🌐 Coordinates: approximately 41.0500° N, 44.6330° E
🕰️ Period: main structures built in the 12th - 13th centuries (first mentioned in the 7th century)
🏷️ Other Names: Dzorayezri Monastery, Dzoramiji Monastery
🌿 Best Time to Visit: May to October, when the weather is pleasant and the trails are safe
🛤️ How to Get There:
• Upper Monastery - hiking from Odzun village (about 1 km, ~30-40 minutes) to the cliff edge
• Lower Monastery - a more challenging hike, requiring good physical fitness

OVERVIEW

Horomayr Monastery is a medieval monastic complex in Lori Province, perched on the edge of the Debed Gorge near the village of Odzun. It consists of two sections - the upper Dzoraydzor Monastery and the lower Dzoramiji Monastery, both built in the 12th-13th centuries. The complex is remarkable for its unique location - with one section standing dramatically on a cliff edge and the other hidden deep within the gorge - as well as for its architectural solutions and rock-hewn elements.

ETYMOLOGY

There are several theories regarding the origin of the name “Horomayr.” The most widely accepted explanation is that it derives from the words horom (“Greek”) and ayr (“man” or “hermit”). According to legend, the monastery was named after a Greek prince or monk who once sought refuge among these cliffs and caves. Another theory connects the name to Emperor Heraclius, who is said to have built a church here in the 7th century, with the term horom used in Armenian as an old designation for the inhabitants of the Byzantine Empire.

HISTORY

Horomayr Monastery is first mentioned in the 7th century, although most of the surviving structures date to the 12th - 13th centuries, built under the patronage of the Zakarian brothers, Zakare and Ivane. The complex is divided into two parts: the upper monastery (Dzoraydzor), located on a high plateau, and the lower monastery (Dzoramiji), nestled in the depths of the Debed Gorge. The main church of the lower monastery, St. Nshan, was built in 1187 under the leadership of Abbot Samuel and with the support of the Zakarian princes. This period coincided with the Zakarian dynasty’s rule, when Lori became a center of cultural and spiritual revival. The northern entrance of the church bears a high-relief carving of the Virgin Mary with the Child Jesus. The roof-top belfry was added in 1290. Adjacent to St. Nshan stands the monastery’s second single-nave church, next to which a small chapel was built in 1201. To the north of the complex lies a square-plan, small-apse zhamatun (1301), and nearby are the ruins of the Holy Apostles Chapel (1216). Surrounding the monastery is a cemetery with 13th-century khachkars and tombstones. On the plateau are two single-nave, barrel-vaulted churches (1206) and the gavit that connects them.

Horomayr served not only as a religious center but also as a refuge and a place of learning. Its strategic location - on the cliff edge and within the rocks - provided protection against potential invasions. After the political decline of medieval Armenia, the monastery gradually lost its importance and partially fell into ruin, yet its striking architecture and exceptional setting have survived to this day.

ARCHITECTURE

The upper complex (Dzorayezri) consists of two single-nave barrel-vaulted churches connected by a small, equilateral gavit, all arranged symmetrically - a sign of a deliberate architectural plan. The main entrance is in the western wall of the gavit, and the only access to the churches is through the gavit itself: the southern church’s entrance faces the gavit, while the northern church is entered from the gavit toward the church. The northern church (3.1 m × 2.45 m) is built of yellow-brown felsite, with a rectangular hall under a gabled roof and a semi-cylindrical vault, its western façade adorned entirely with carved crosses. The southern church (3.2 m × 2.15 m), built of finely dressed basalt, has a semicircular apse and was constructed in 1206 by Abbot Samuel; the name of master stonemason Grigor Kargorts is inscribed on the lintel of the eastern window. The gavit, built in the 13th century of yellow-brown felsite, is a nearly square hall (4.35 m × 4.1 m) with intersecting diagonal arches forming an octagon in plan - an unusual solution for a structure of this size. Its large western entrance also served as the main light source. West of the complex lies the medieval cemetery with around a dozen 13th-century khachkars and later-period tombstones.

The lower complex (Dzoramiji) is composed of the church-belfry, the middle and small churches, the separately standing Holy Mother of God Zhamatun, as well as chapels, khachkars, and rock-hewn caves. The main church, known as St. Nshan, is a barrel-vaulted hall with a horseshoe-shaped apse. Four wall arches support both the vault and the octagonal-columned belfry added in 1290, whose pointed arches are made of yellowish felsite. The lintel features a relief of Christ flanked by two angels holding crosses, with the inscription “Jesus Christ.” The western wall is set against the cliff, with intricately carved khachkars placed along its base, including the masterfully crafted Lord’s Cross (1201). From here, a doorway opens into a round rock-hewn cave with a floor paved in tombstones. On the continuation of the cliff to the north, dozens of 13th–14th-century cross carvings can be seen.

The middle church, built in the mid-12th century, is a barrel-vaulted hall with a semicircular apse, constructed of roughly hewn basalt. The small church to the south — more of a chapel — was built in 1201 by the sons of Hakob and Khali, with a nearly square plan and a gabled roof of dressed basalt. The Holy Mother of God Zhamatun, 25 meters north of the main church, was built in 1301 by Vardapet Ignatios. It is a spacious hall with a rectangular façade and a semicircular apse, once decorated with wall paintings, and likely had a wooden gabled roof. Scattered around the complex and on nearby cliffs are caves and remains of auxiliary buildings, including a chapel built of large, smoothly dressed basalt blocks.

TOURISM

Horomayr Monastery is not only a monument of historical and architectural significance but also a unique hiking and ecotourism destination in Lori Province. Visitors can explore both main sections: the upper Dzoraydzor Monastery, accessible by a relatively easy hike from Odzun village, and the lower Dzoramiji Monastery, hidden deep in the Debed Gorge and accessible only to experienced and well-prepared hikers. In the area, one can admire medieval churches, gavits, khachkars, and rock-hewn caves, as well as breathtaking views of the gorge and river. The best time to visit is from May to October, when the trails are safe and the gorge’s natural beauty is at its peak. A visit can easily be combined with trips to Odzun, Sanahin, and Haghpat Monasteries, creating an unforgettable cultural and nature-filled journey.

LOCAL LEGENDS

Several captivating local legends are tied to Horomayr Monastery, passed down through generations. One of the most famous tells that the name comes from horom (“Greek”) and ayr (“man” or “hermit”). In the early Middle Ages, a Greek nobleman or monk is said to have found refuge here, abandoning his homeland for the peace and solitude of these inaccessible cliffs. Another story claims that the monastery was built at the command of a Greek prince who, having dreamt of an angelic vision of this place, believed it to be a divine sign. Locals also recount that prayers offered in the monastery’s churches miraculously protected nearby villages from enemy raids and harsh winters, while certain khachkars near the gavit were believed to have protective and healing powers.