# Jukhtakvank Monastery, Dilijan > Jukhtakvank — the “pair monastery” — is two small stone churches from the 11th–13th centuries in a forest clearing of Dilijan National Park, about 3 km northwest of town. It is **free**, unfenced and has no opening hours. Allow 30–45 minutes on site. A taxi to the Dilijan mineral water plant takes 10–15 minutes from the centre, then it’s a 10–15 minute uphill walk. Web page: https://yesgo.io/armenia/dilijan/jukhtakvank - City: [Dilijan](https://yesgo.io/armenia/dilijan), Armenia - YesGo score: 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 45 min - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Free, no ticket office - Hours: No schedule, open site; daylight only is sensible - Active monastery?: No — no services, no caretaker - Getting there: Taxi to the mineral water plant ≈ 10–15 min, then 10–15 min uphill on foot - From the centre: ≈ 5.6 km in a straight line from the Mimino statue, 6–7 km by road - Walking from town: ≈ 1.5 hours along the highway and Abovyan Street - To Matosavank: ≈ 30 min on a marked forest trail - Time needed: 30–45 min on site; 2–3 hours with Matosavank and the walk - Paying: GG or Yandex Go take Visa/Mastercard in the app; street taxis want cash in dram - Coordinates: 40.75768, 44.80300 - Facts checked: 30.10.2026 ## Key facts - **1201** — Surb Astvatsatsin (Holy Mother of God) church completed — dated by its door inscription (source: English Wikipedia “Jukhtak”; Visit Armenia; Armenian Travel Bureau) - **2 churches** — Surb Grigor and Surb Astvatsatsin — hence the name “pair monastery” (source: English Wikipedia; Visit Armenia; Transcaucasian Trail) - **≈ 3 km** — northwest of Dilijan, in a clearing in Dilijan National Park (source: English Wikipedia (3.2 km); Visit Armenia (3 km); Armenian Travel Bureau (3.2 km)) - **11th–12th c.** — likely date of Surb Grigor, the older church — no inscription gives the year (source: English Wikipedia; Armenian Travel Bureau; Transcaucasian Trail) - **1973–1977** — Surb Grigor stabilised and strapped with the steel braces you see today (source: English Wikipedia; Visit Armenia; Ancient History Sites) - **Hayrapet** — abbot of Surb Petros monastery, who built Surb Astvatsatsin for masses for himself, his brother Shmavon and his parents (source: English Wikipedia; Armenian Travel Bureau; Ancient History Sites) - **No dome** — Surb Grigor’s drum and dome collapsed long ago; only the walls stand (source: English Wikipedia; Armenian Travel Bureau; Ancient History Sites) - **Cemetery** — medieval gravestones and khachkars surround the churches (source: English Wikipedia; Visit Armenia; Armenian Travel Bureau) - **≈ 0.8 km** — in a straight line to Matosavank across the valley (source: Ancient History Sites; YesGo measurement on OpenStreetMap) - **≈ 250 m** — in a straight line from the Dilijan mineral water plant to the churches (source: YesGo measurement on OpenStreetMap) - **≈ 20 km** — on the Transcaucasian Trail from Jukhtakvank to Haghartsin Monastery (source: Transcaucasian Trail; English Wikipedia “Haghartsin Monastery”) > **No car to the door — the last stretch is on foot** The tarmac ends at the mineral water plant; from there a dirt track climbs to the churches — **10–15 minutes on foot**. After rain it turns to mud, and landslides sometimes close it even to cars, so wear shoes with grip. There is no caretaker, café or drinking water at the monastery: bring what you need. ## What is Jukhtakvank? Jukhtakvank is a pair of small medieval Armenian Apostolic churches in a forest clearing above the Bldan river valley, just outside Dilijan. *Jukht* means “pair” in Armenian, so the name is usually rendered as “pair monastery”. It has been abandoned for a long time: no services, no monks, just an old cemetery of gravestones and khachkars (carved cross-stones) around the walls. The older church, **Surb Grigor** (St Gregory), has no dated inscription; its style places it in the 11th or 12th century. It is a small cross-shaped, central-plan church whose dome fell in centuries ago. Between 1973 and 1977 restorers shored up the walls and wrapped them in steel bands — the soft ground underneath has been slipping for years. The younger church, **Surb Astvatsatsin** (Holy Mother of God), stands to the west. Its inscription dates it to **1201** and names the builder: Hayrapet, abbot of the Surb Petros monastery, who had it built so that masses would be said for himself, his brother Shmavon and his parents. ## Is Jukhtakvank worth it? Go for the forest and the walk, not for the architecture. The churches are small, cracked and marked by graffiti and candle soot inside; next to [Haghartsin](https://yesgo.io/armenia/dilijan/haghartsin-monastery) or [Goshavank](https://yesgo.io/armenia/dilijan/goshavank) they look modest. What they offer is quiet: you will often have the clearing to yourself. It works best combined with [Matosavank](https://yesgo.io/armenia/dilijan/matosavank) across the valley. Taxi to the trailhead, climb to Jukhtakvank, follow the marked path to Matosavank and walk back down — a half-day forest loop that needs no driver for the whole day. If you only have time for one monastery near Dilijan, pick Haghartsin instead. ## Entry, opening hours and how long to stay Entry is **free** — there is no ticket office, fence or schedule, and unofficially you can walk in at any time. Come in daylight, though: there are no lights on the track or trails, and phone signal in the valley is patchy. Thirty to **45 minutes** covers both churches, the inscriptions and the gravestones. With the climb from the plant, the walk to Matosavank and the way down, plan on **2–3 hours**. Walking all the way from central Dilijan adds about three hours for the round trip. ## What to see - **Surb Grigor** — the older, domeless church; the 1970s steel braces round its walls are the first thing you notice, with grass growing on the roof above. This is the classic Jukhtakvank photo. - **The 1201 inscription** over the door of Surb Astvatsatsin, naming Abbot Hayrapet, plus later donation inscriptions on the same lintel. - **The carved lintel over Surb Grigor’s west door** — easiest to read in low side light in the morning or late afternoon. - **The medieval cemetery** around the churches — many stones are badly worn, so don’t stand on them. - **The forest itself** — the broadleaf woods of Dilijan National Park, gold and red in autumn, bright green in late spring. ## How to get to Jukhtakvank from central Dilijan 1. Start at **Dilijan’s central square** by the [Mimino statue](https://yesgo.io/armenia/dilijan/dilijan-mimino-statue) — minibuses from Yerevan stop here and taxis wait. You can also book a car in the **GG** or **Yandex Go** app, which show the fare upfront and take foreign Visa or Mastercard in the app; street drivers usually want cash in dram. 2. Ask for the **Dilijan mineral water plant on Abovyan Street** (the Bldan district). The car heads west on the highway towards Vanadzor, turns right onto Abovyan Street and passes under a tall railway bridge — 10–15 minutes and 6–7 km from the centre. 3. Where the tarmac ends by the plant there’s an information board, “Trails to Jukhtakvank and Matosavank” — the start of the Medieval Monasteries Trail. 4. Take the dirt track uphill to the right: **10–15 minutes** on foot to the clearing. Either let the taxi go or agree that it waits about an hour. 5. On foot from the centre it’s about 1.5 hours: west along the highway, then up Abovyan Street to the board. Vanadzor-bound minibuses use the same highway; there’s no stop at the turn, but unofficially drivers will let you off if you ask. 6. Come back via Matosavank: the trail drops to the same Abovyan Street, and from there a taxi gets you to [Old Dilijan](https://yesgo.io/armenia/dilijan/old-dilijan) for lunch. ## The Jukhtakvank–Matosavank hike The two monasteries face each other across one wooded valley, less than a kilometre apart as the crow flies. The waymarked **Medieval Monasteries Trail** links them in about **30 minutes**, crossing the stream on a metal footbridge. Climbs are short, and school-age kids manage it easily. Matosavank was completed in 1247 — younger than Jukhtakvank and far more ruined, with trees growing through it and khachkars scattered around. The easiest loop: taxi to the plant, up to Jukhtakvank, across to Matosavank, then down to Abovyan Street — 2–3 hours including time at both sites. From the end of the track at Jukhtakvank, a long section of the **Transcaucasian Trail** heads about 20 km through the northern hills of the national park to Haghartsin. That is a full day’s hike — go with an offline map, plenty of water and food, and an early start. > **What to wear and how to behave** It’s no longer a working monastery, but it is a sacred site and a cemetery: dress modestly, ideally with shoulders and knees covered, and men take off hats inside the churches. **Don’t light candles against the walls or khachkars** — soot has already damaged some of the carving. Don’t write on the stones or climb the walls; the masonry is cracked. ## Before you set off - [ ] Shoes with grip — the track and trail get muddy - [ ] Water and a snack — nothing is sold at the site - [ ] Offline map on your phone — signal is weak in the valley - [ ] Ride back agreed, or ready to book one from the road - [ ] Some dram in cash for a street taxi - [ ] A warm layer — the forest is cooler than town - [ ] Plenty of daylight left ## Jukhtakvank vs Matosavank vs Haghartsin | | Jukhtakvank | Matosavank | Haghartsin | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | What it is | Two small churches, 11th–12th c. and 1201 | Ruined monastery, completed 1247 | Large monastery, 10th–13th c. | | Condition | Abandoned, walls braced | Ruins in the forest | Active, restored | | Getting there | Taxi to the plant + 10–15 min uphill | On foot, ≈ 30 min from Jukhtakvank | Taxi, 20–30 min from the centre | | Entry | Free | Free | Free | | Time needed | 30–45 min | 30–45 min | 1–2 h | Only one monastery? Choose Haghartsin. Want a quiet forest walk close to town? Do Jukhtakvank and Matosavank together. ## Monasteries and churches around Dilijan compared Every monastery and church near 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 ## Forest monasteries and the old town in half a day Two monasteries in the woods in the morning, then Old Dilijan and the Mimino statue. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers. 1. [Jukhtakvank Monastery](https://yesgo.io/armenia/dilijan/jukhtakvank) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · Free 2. [Matosavank Monastery](https://yesgo.io/armenia/dilijan/matosavank) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free 3. [Old Dilijan (Sharambeyan Street)](https://yesgo.io/armenia/dilijan/old-dilijan) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · Free 4. [Mimino statue](https://yesgo.io/armenia/dilijan/dilijan-mimino-statue) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 15 min · Free ## Don’t confuse You’ll see it spelled Jukhtak, Jukhtak Vank, Jukhtakvank or Joukhtak — all the same place. Don’t mix it up with Matosavank across the valley. Some maps also label one of Matosavank’s churches “Surb Astvatsatsin”, so check which pin you’re following. ## Tips - Go in the morning: side light on the walls makes the inscriptions easier to read. - Climb from the plant and come down via Matosavank, so you never retrace your steps. - Autumn turns the surrounding forest gold and red — the best season for photos. - After heavy rain, give the track a day to dry out. - Want to see a big working monastery too? Add Haghartsin — a separate taxi ride out of town. ## Questions ### Where is Jukhtakvank Monastery? In Armenia’s Tavush Province, in the forest of Dilijan National Park, about 3 km northwest of Dilijan — just above the Dilijan mineral water plant on Abovyan Street. ### How do I get to Jukhtakvank? Take a taxi from central Dilijan to the mineral water plant (10–15 minutes), then walk 10–15 minutes uphill on a dirt track. Walking from the centre takes about 1.5 hours. ### Is there an entrance fee at Jukhtakvank? No. There’s no ticket office or fence — the only cost is your taxi. ### What are Jukhtakvank’s opening hours? There aren’t any: it’s an open-air site. Go in daylight, as there are no lights on the trail. ### How long is the hike from Jukhtakvank to Matosavank? About 30 minutes on the waymarked Medieval Monasteries Trail, crossing a stream on a metal footbridge. The full loop from the plant takes 2–3 hours. ### Is Jukhtakvank worth visiting? For a quiet forest walk, yes. For architecture, not really — the churches are small and half-ruined. If you see only one monastery near Dilijan, make it Haghartsin. ### When was Jukhtakvank built? Surb Grigor probably dates from the 11th–12th century; Surb Astvatsatsin was completed in 1201, according to its inscription. ### What does Jukhtak mean? “Jukht” is Armenian for “pair” — the monastery has two churches, so it’s often called the “pair monastery”. ### Can you hike from Jukhtakvank to Haghartsin? Yes, on the Transcaucasian Trail — about 20 km through the national park, a full day. Take an offline map, water and food. ### Is Jukhtakvank good for kids? Yes for children who walk well: the climb from the plant is short and the trail to Matosavank has no exposed sections. It isn’t pushchair-friendly. ## How we checked The monastery has no website or schedule, so free entry, open access and taxi and minibus details are unofficial and marked “verifying”. Dates are checked against three sources: 1201 for Surb Astvatsatsin comes from its inscription, while Surb Grigor is dated to the 11th–12th century by style. Sources disagree on which church lost its dome — Wikipedia, Armenian Travel Bureau and Ancient History Sites say Surb Grigor, the Transcaucasian Trail says the smaller church; we follow the three. Some guides put the site northeast of town; Wikipedia, Visit Armenia and the coordinates say northwest, which we use. Distances from the Mimino statue, the plant and to Matosavank are YesGo measurements on OpenStreetMap. ## Sources - English Wikipedia: Jukhtak; Wikidata Q15229833 - Visit Armenia, Armenia’s tourism portal: Jukhtak monastery - Armenian Travel Bureau: Jukhtak - Ancient History Sites: Jukhtak Vank — buildings, restorations, condition - Transcaucasian Trail: 5 Secluded Monasteries in Dilijan National Park — trails, Matosavank, the route to Haghartsin - OpenStreetMap — coordinates of the churches, the mineral water plant, Abovyan Street and the Mimino statue - Lost With Purpose: Hiking in Dilijan — walking route from town (unofficial) - Money guides for Armenia (Armenia Discovery, Travel With Hello) — taxis and cards (unofficial) --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.