The vaulted passage of Sanahin Monastery

The picture shows part of the Sanahin monastic complex in Armenia. Built in the 10th–13th centuries, Sanahin is one of the main medieval cultural centres of Northern Armenia and, together with the neighbouring Haghpat Monastery, is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The complex is in the Lori Province, near the town of Alaverdi.

The name “Sanahin” translates from Armenian as “this is older than that”, which presumably indicates that it was built earlier than Haghpat.

The floor of the long arched passage is covered with gravestones, one of which bears carved Armenian letters. At the end of the passage, in the light, stand khachkars.