# Goshavank Monastery near Dilijan > Goshavank is a 12th–13th-century Armenian monastery in the village of Gosh, about 20–23 km by road east of central Dilijan. Entry is free, there is no ticket office and no fixed hours — just come in daylight. Allow 45 minutes, or an hour with the climb to the founder’s tomb. The star is a khachkar from 1291 carved so finely it looks like lace. Web page: https://yesgo.io/armenia/dilijan/goshavank - City: [Dilijan](https://yesgo.io/armenia/dilijan), Armenia - YesGo score: 31/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 45 min - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Free — no tickets or ticket office - Hours: No fixed hours; churches open in daylight - Time needed: ≈ 45 min; about 1 hour with the climb to Mkhitar Gosh’s tomb - From central Dilijan: ≈ 20–23 km by road, about 30 min by taxi - Public transport: Nothing reliable — taxi or your own car - Services: St Astvatsatsin church, Saturdays and Sundays - Payment: Bring Armenian dram cash; book taxis in the GG or Yandex Go app - Where: Gosh village, Tavush Province, off the Dilijan–Ijevan highway - Coordinates: 40.72988, 44.99773 - Facts checked: 30.10.2026 ## Key facts - **1188** — founded by Mkhitar Gosh to replace the earthquake-wrecked Getik monastery (source: Russian Wikipedia; Transcaucasian Trail; AUA Armenia Hidden Gems (earthquake dated 1186)) - **1291** — master Poghos carved the Aseghnagorts — the “needle-carved” khachkar (source: English Wikipedia; Tourism Committee of Armenia; AUA Armenia Hidden Gems) - **Mkhitar Gosh** — the founder — scholar, fable writer and author of the Datastanagirk law code (source: English Wikipedia; AUA Armenia Hidden Gems) - **Nor Getik** — the monastery’s first name — “New Getik” (source: English and Russian Wikipedia; Transcaucasian Trail) - **1213** — renamed after Mkhitar Gosh when he died (source: Russian Wikipedia; Transcaucasian Trail; AUA Armenia Hidden Gems) - **1191–1196** — the main church of St Astvatsatsin (Holy Mother of God) was built (source: English and Russian Wikipedia; AUA Armenia Hidden Gems) - **1197–1203** — the gavit — a large assembly hall — was added to the main church (source: Russian Wikipedia; AUA Armenia Hidden Gems; English Wikipedia (plan)) - **1237–1241** — St Grigor Lusavorich church, completed by Prince Grigor-Tkha (source: English and Russian Wikipedia; AUA Armenia Hidden Gems) - **1291** — the top of the book depository — a small church with a belfry — was finished (source: English and Russian Wikipedia; AUA Armenia Hidden Gems) - **1935 or 1936** — Poghos’s second khachkar was moved to the History Museum of Armenia in Yerevan (source: Rio Wang (1935); AUA Armenia Hidden Gems (1936); Tourism Committee of Armenia) ## Goshavank entrance fee and opening hours Goshavank is **free to enter**. There’s no gate, no ticket office and no posted timetable: the grounds are open and the churches are usually unlocked in daylight, when a caretaker is around. Some doors are still shut early in the morning, so aim to arrive after 9am and leave before dusk. Treat these hours as unofficial. You’ll only spend money on the taxi, candles and a coffee in the village. Foreign Visa and Mastercard cards are widely accepted in Dilijan’s hotels and cafés, but carry **Armenian dram cash** for Gosh itself. Taxi apps **GG** and **Yandex Go** both work here and show the fare before you ride. > **There’s no bus to the monastery — plan your ride back** Minibuses between Dilijan and Ijevan stay on the highway, and Gosh is a 6.5 km climb off it; local buses to the village are unreliable. Take a taxi and sort out the return before you get out: ask the driver to wait an hour, or book a new ride from the app — mobile signal is usually fine. ## How to get to Goshavank from Dilijan 1. Start at **Dilijan’s central square** by the Mimino statue — minibuses from Yerevan stop here and taxis wait. 2. Book a ride in **GG** or **Yandex Go**, or agree a price with a driver on the square. Say “Goshavank, Gosh village”. 3. The road runs east along the Aghstev river on the Ijevan highway, then turns off towards Gosh and Chambarak for about 6.5 km uphill. Around 30 minutes in total (unofficial). 4. Park in the small lot in front of the monastery. On summer weekends it fills up — come in the morning. 5. Walk round the churches and the khachkar, then climb the slope to Mkhitar Gosh’s tomb — about an hour for everything. 6. Fancy a walk? A forest path leads to [Lake Gosh](https://yesgo.io/armenia/dilijan/lake-gosh) — about 4–5 km (the waymarked trail is 4.2 km), roughly an hour each way. 7. Head back with the same driver or a new booking, stopping at [Haghartsin](https://yesgo.io/armenia/dilijan/haghartsin-monastery) on the way to Dilijan. ## Is Goshavank worth visiting? Yes, if you’re staying in Dilijan and want medieval Armenia without the crowds. It’s smaller than Haghartsin and far more compact than Haghpat or Sanahin, but it holds one of the country’s most famous carvings — Poghos’s lace-like khachkar. Free entry, a 30-minute drive and forest all around make it an easy half-day. On a single day trip from Yerevan you’ll probably have to choose between Goshavank and Haghartsin, as both plus Dilijan and Lake Sevan make a very long day. Hikers should pick Goshavank: the path to Lake Gosh starts here, and the Transcaucasian Trail passes through Gosh — including a 9.7 km stretch from [Lake Parz](https://yesgo.io/armenia/dilijan/lake-parz) through Dilijan National Park. ## What to see at Goshavank - **The Aseghnagorts khachkar by Poghos, 1291** — a cross-stone carved so delicately it looks embroidered. It stands in front of the smallest church in the complex. - **St Astvatsatsin church (1191–1196)** — the domed main church, still used for services at weekends. - **The gavit (1197–1203)** — the big vaulted hall in front of the church, used for meetings and teaching. - **St Grigor Lusavorich church (1237–1241)** — a small church whose doorway was once flanked by both of Poghos’s khachkars. - **The book depository and belfry** — a two-storey building: manuscripts below, a tiny church with a bell tower on top. - **The statue of Mkhitar Gosh** at the monastery entrance. - **The hillside above** — a chapel and Mkhitar Gosh’s tomb, about a 15-minute walk up, with the best view over the rooftops and forest. ## What is Goshavank? Goshavank was one of medieval Armenia’s great centres of learning. It was founded in **1188** by **Mkhitar Gosh** — theologian, fable writer and author of the Datastanagirk, the first Armenian law code — to replace the Getik monastery, which an earthquake had destroyed. Hence its first name, **Nor Getik**, “New Getik”. It took Gosh’s name after he died in 1213, and the village grew up around it. Today it’s a working monastery of the Armenian Apostolic Church: a tight cluster of 12th- and 13th-century churches, chapels, a school building and the two-storey book depository, all on a slope above village houses. Poghos carved two khachkars for it in 1291; one went to the History Museum of Armenia in Yerevan in the 1930s, and the other is still here. > **What to wear inside Armenian churches** Cover shoulders and knees — men and women alike. Headscarves for women aren’t compulsory, but wear one during a service. Men take off hats. Keep your voice down and don’t eat inside; candles go in the sand trays by the door. > **Photographing the khachkar** Shoot the khachkar close up in side light — morning or late afternoon brings out the depth of the carving, while midday flattens it. For the classic shot of the whole monastery against wooded hills, walk up the slope towards Mkhitar Gosh’s tomb. No flash inside, and no photos during services. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] Going in daylight — the churches lock up around dusk - [ ] Armenian dram cash for the taxi, candles and coffee - [ ] GG or Yandex Go installed, driver knows it’s Gosh village - [ ] Return ride to Dilijan sorted - [ ] Shoulders and knees covered; headscarf optional - [ ] Decent shoes — the tomb path and the lake trail are rocky - [ ] Water, if you’re walking to Lake Gosh ## Goshavank vs Haghartsin | | Goshavank | Haghartsin | | --- | --- | --- | | What it is | 12th–13th-century monastery in a village | 10th–13th-century monastery in the forest | | From central Dilijan | ≈ 20–23 km east | ≈ 13–18 km, depending on the source | | Highlight | Poghos’s needle-carved khachkar, the book depository | Churches in mountain forest | | Nearby | Lake Gosh, the trail from Lake Parz | Forest drive | Both lie east of Dilijan off the same highway, so one taxi can cover them in a morning. If you only pick one: Goshavank for stone carving, Haghartsin for the forest setting. ## Monasteries around Dilijan compared Every monastery and church around Dilijan rated by YesGo. - [Jukhtakvank Monastery](https://yesgo.io/armenia/dilijan/jukhtakvank) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · Free - [Matosavank Monastery](https://yesgo.io/armenia/dilijan/matosavank) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free - [Haghartsin Monastery](https://yesgo.io/armenia/dilijan/haghartsin-monastery) — YesGo score 37/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free - [Goshavank](https://yesgo.io/armenia/dilijan/goshavank) — YesGo score 31/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · Free - [Sevanavank](https://yesgo.io/armenia/dilijan/sevanavank) — YesGo score 29/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free ## Dilijan’s monasteries in a day Haghartsin in the forest, Goshavank and its khachkar, a walk to Lake Gosh and an evening on Dilijan’s old street. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers. 1. [Haghartsin Monastery](https://yesgo.io/armenia/dilijan/haghartsin-monastery) — YesGo score 37/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free 2. [Goshavank](https://yesgo.io/armenia/dilijan/goshavank) — YesGo score 31/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · Free 3. [Lake Gosh](https://yesgo.io/armenia/dilijan/lake-gosh) — YesGo score 26/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · Free 4. [Old Dilijan (Sharambeyan Street)](https://yesgo.io/armenia/dilijan/old-dilijan) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · Free ## Good to know Gosh is both the village around the monastery and the founder’s name; the village has guesthouses and cafés, and the monastery sits on the slope above them. If you can’t make the trip, the twin of the Goshavank khachkar is on display at the History Museum of Armenia in Yerevan. ## Tips - Pair Goshavank with Haghartsin — both are east of Dilijan, one taxi covers them in half a day. - See Poghos’s khachkar in side light — morning or after lunch. - Walk up to Mkhitar Gosh’s tomb for the best view of the monastery. - Keen walker? Take the forest path to Lake Gosh — the clay gets slippery after rain. - Parking is tight on summer weekends — arrive early. - Eat in Gosh village rather than heading back to Dilijan hungry. ## Questions ### Is there an entrance fee for Goshavank? No. Entry is free and there’s no ticket office — you’ll only pay for the taxi and candles. Bring Armenian dram cash. ### What are Goshavank’s opening hours? There are no fixed hours. The grounds are open and the churches usually unlocked in daylight; come between about 9am and dusk. This is unofficial. ### How do I get to Goshavank from Dilijan? By taxi — book one in GG or Yandex Go from the central square; it takes about 30 minutes. There’s no reliable bus, so arrange your return in advance. ### How far is Goshavank from Dilijan? About 20–23 km by road: east on the Ijevan highway, then 6.5 km up the turn-off towards Gosh and Chambarak. ### Is Goshavank worth visiting? Yes, especially for Poghos’s 1291 khachkar, one of the finest in Armenia. It’s free, quiet and easy to combine with Haghartsin and Lake Gosh. ### How long do you need at Goshavank? About 45 minutes for the churches and khachkar, or an hour with the walk up to Mkhitar Gosh’s tomb. Add 30 minutes each way from Dilijan. ### Can you hike from Goshavank to Lake Gosh? Yes — a forest path of about 4–5 km (the waymarked trail is 4.2 km), roughly an hour each way. Avoid it straight after rain, when the clay is slippery. ### Who founded Goshavank? Mkhitar Gosh, in 1188. It was first called Nor Getik and took his name after his death in 1213. ### Where is the other Goshavank khachkar? Poghos carved two in 1291. One stays at the monastery; the other was moved to the History Museum of Armenia in Yerevan in the 1930s. ## How we checked There’s no official monastery page with fees or hours, so entry, hours, services, transport and payment are marked “verifying” and called unofficial. Building dates and history are checked against at least two sources. Where sources differ we say so: AUA dates the earthquake that destroyed Getik to 1186, so we only give the founding year, 1188; the second Poghos khachkar went to Yerevan in 1935 per Rio Wang and 1936 per AUA, so we show both. Distance from Dilijan is 22–23 km in Lonely Planet and Travelers & Dreamers and 15 km in AUA; we give 20–23 km by road. Lake Gosh is about 4–5 km away; the Transcaucasian Trail section is 4.2 km. We couldn’t confirm the date of the Hripsime chapel (1208 or 1254) or an on-site museum, so we leave them out. ## Sources - English and Russian Wikipedia: Goshavank; Wikidata Q429012 - American University of Armenia (AUA), Armenia Hidden Gems: Goshavank Monastery Complex - Tourism Committee of Armenia (armenia.travel): Goshavank Monastery - Transcaucasian Trail: 5 Secluded Monasteries in Dilijan National Park, 2020 - Hiking Project: Lake Parz to Lake Gosh Trail - Lonely Planet: Goshavank - Travelers & Dreamers: Goshavank Monastery - Rio Wang: The most perfect khachkar — Master Poghos’s Embroidered Khachkar, Goshavank, 1291, 2026 --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.