Dadivank monastery
The historic Dadivank Monastery is located in Nagorno-Karabakh, at an altitude of about 1100 meters above sea level, on the southern slope of a forested mountain. The monastery is surrounded by picturesque natural scenery. Small ravines border the slope from the east and west, joining together lower down and forming a natural amphitheater around the complex. In addition to the main monastic ensemble, several small chapels can be found on the surrounding hills. The monastery is carefully positioned so that the view from almost every point — both inside and outside the complex — offers breathtaking panoramas of the surrounding landscape. According to historical chronicles, Dadivank was founded in the 1st century AD on the burial site of Dadi, a disciple of the apostle Thaddeus the Apostle. Because of this connection, the monastery was also known in Armenian sources as Arakelots, meaning “Apostolic.” The medieval Armenian scholar Mkhitar Gosh referred to the monastery as “Arakeladir,” which translates as “founded by the Apostle.” It is believed that in the 4th century, after Armenia officially adopted Christianity as its state religion, the earliest church of the monastery was constructed around the tomb of Dadi. Over the centuries, the complex gradually expanded, becoming one of the most important spiritual and cultural centers of the region.
Today, Dadivank Monastery remains a remarkable example of Armenian medieval architecture and a site deeply connected with the early history of Christianity in Armenia.
