Katarovank
Located high in the mountains of southern Karabakh, near the villages of Khtsaberd, Hin Tagher and Tumi. It was renovated in the mid-2010s.
Heading S on the main North-South Highway from Taghut and Tsakuri, go over a pass with great views of the surrounding mountains and valleys, including the photogenic Toghasar mountain to the NW upon which Gtichavank monastery rests. As you pass the crest of the hill by the pass on your left, a very good dirt road comes up on the right. This very long dirt road leads for nearly 20km (keep right at the one fork you might be tempted to go left on) to the footpath leading up to Katarovank Monastery ☆ ⟪39.52614, 46.85612⟫ on Dizapayt's mountaintop, and at an elevation of about 2500m often in or above the clouds. Originally founded in the 4c and described by Pavstos Buzand in the 5c as a large monastery, the present structure is a single nave basilica dating to the 17c. Buzand relates the story of the invasion of Armenia in 335 CE by Massagetae and Huns. Apparently the missionary work of St. Gregory the Illuminator's grandson St. Grigoris, who was the bishop in this area succeeded in converting three of the Massagetae tribe's chief Sanesan's sons to Christianity. Sanesan ordered St. Grigoris to death by means of being tied to wild horses. His children fled to hide at Katarovank, which at the time held as many as 3870 hermits and pilgrims. Sanesan pursued them to the monastery and killed everyone there, including his three Christian convert sons. The Huns then destroyed the monastery and burned all the corpses.