Tatev Monastery - this pearl of the Armenian architecture of the Middle Ages. It is located in southern Armenia, Syunik Marz, in the center, in 315 km from Yerevan and 30 km from the town of Goris, on the right bank of the river Vorotan, near the eponymous village of Tatev.

The monastery was built in IX - XIII Art. and consecrated in honor of St. Eustache, a disciple of the Apostle Thaddeus, who, like his teacher, preached Christianity and was martyred for the new faith.

The first church of the monastery complex was built in the ninth art. At that time, he lived in a monastery a few monks. In the XIII century. Tatev became the residence of Syunik bishops. From 1390 to 1435 he worked at the monastery of Tatev University is a major center of philosophical and scientific thought of the Middle Ages. University led by philosophers, educators and prominent public figures O. Vorotnetsi and G. Tatevatsi.

In 848, Prince Philip built the first church and consecrated it in the name of St. Gregory the Illuminator, but it was destroyed twice. In 1295 at the same location and with the same name it was built a church with a porch on the west side. Church of St. Gregory the Illuminator with vaulted prayer hall and a semicircular altar adjacent to the main temple in the south-eastern part.

The main church of Tatev monastery - Church of St. Poghos Petros. It was built in 895-906 years. In 895, Bishop Hovhannes destroyed the old church, and in its place built a new one. Bishop pulled out of the walls of the old temple relics of St. Poghos and Petros and again put them in a re-erected walls of the church.

The main attraction of the monastery is "Gavazan", which is a swinging column installed in the 904 next to the living quarters of the monastery. Eight-meter stone pillar topped by khachkar. The main feature of this design is that the octagonal pillar can be tilted independently and return to the starting position.

By the unique examples of Armenian architecture can be attributed to the Gate Church of St.. Astvatsatsin, built in 1087

Church buildings are surrounded by erected in XVII - XVIII Art. rectory quarters, storerooms, a vaulted dining room with kitchen, bell tower, office and residential premises.