Ashtarak
has many historical and architectural monuments. The most famous
one is the church of Karmravor (7th c). It is one of the cross-domed
kind of church. In the interior the fragments of the murals have
been designed . The shingled roof is well-preserved.
The
church of St. Mesrop Mashtots which is located in Oshakan. The name
comes from the Armenian alphabet founder Mesrop Mashtots who died
in 440 A.D and was buried in Oshakan. A small chapel was built over
his grave, which was replaced by a single nave basilicathe in the
2nd half of the 19th century .
The monastery of Hovhanavank is
founded in the village of Hovhanavan. The monastic complex includes a single-nave church,which
was built in the 5th c, the oldest in the monastery and the principal church of St. Karapet of the cross-domed
kind dated on 1216. The church is richly decorated with vegetative ornaments, it has a bas-relief with the depiction of Christ on a throne.
In the north of Ashtarak in the village of Artashavan there is the
monastery of Saghmosavank. The principal church of the monastic
complex is St. Sargis, which prince Vache Vachoutian built it in
1215. There is a scriptorium in the north of it.
