Sunday May 31, 2009
Today is the second day we woke up in Karabagh. After breakfast we headed toward Amaras. On the road we saw the Shushi Jail up on a mountain overlooking the valleys of Karabagh. We also saw piglets, goats, cows and snakes. The mountains of Karabagh are rocky, high, big, beautiful and mysterious.
After approximately an hour drive from Stepanagert, we arrived to Amaras. Amaras is the name of a river. It is one of the first schools of Armenia. It was also a church. This monastery was founded by Krikor Lousavoritch and finished by his grandson Grigoris. Grigoris was later buried there after he was killed at the age of 16. He was killed because he was spreading the Christian Religion. His gravesite is under the Khoran which is the oldest part of the church. His gravesite has a secret passage that goes to a river gorge.
Amaras was destroyed by Mongols and others who wanted to stop the spread of Christianity. It was last rebuilt in the 17th Century.
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