The Monastery of Surb Karapet near Mush

In the Middle Ages the Monastery of Surb Karapet was not only one of the places most revered by Armenians but also a rich agricultural centre of the region; it had an extensive library and was one of the centres of learning. It lies about 30 km north of Mush, in Western Armenia, now within Turkey.

Today only shapeless ruins remain of the monastery, along with many carved stones and khachkars that local people used as building material; they can often be seen in the walls of houses.

In this old photograph the monastery is still standing, with churches crowned by conical domes, a stone enclosure wall and a round tower, and mountains behind.