Goris – rock formation and ancient cave dwellings
Ancient Goris
The absolute highlights in Goris are the majestic and bizarre rock formations. Many are punctured with wide caves hewn into the soft rock where people used to live and shelter their animals. Accounts of a Greek historian mention cavemen living here in the 5th century BC, now beat that. This sight came completely unexpected, since my guidebook did not mention it.
The scenery is really dramatic; spires rise up into the sky from the very green carpet of grass that covers the less vertical parts, with a huge cemetery at its feet. It was definitely worth walking up to the feet of the rocks: great view with the river below, snow covered mountains around it, all in a secluded valley.
Spectacular Mountain Views around Goris
Traveling to the very south of Armenia meant going through a snowstorm first. At one point high up at 3000m thick flakes fell from the sky, most strangely it was not cold. The trip Yerevan-Goris by shared taxi costs 4500 drum and takes about 4 hours, once we stopped. With me travelled Iranians, on their way home. We did not have a common language but I showed them my photos from Iran and we all liked the salsa the driver was playing. Armenia has become a very popular tourist destination for Iranians, it is close, no visa hassle, it is almost as cheap as Iran and the place to let your hair down.
Iranian tourists enjoying a snowstorm
My first impression of Goris was actually quite depressing, melting snow in the streets, it was cold and grey, grey skies. I desperately looked for things to do. The museum was closed.
Tristesse in downtown Goris
Street Vendors in Goris
Descending down to wintery Goris
Local Highlights
Two elderly men watched me circling the main square and started to talk to me. One of them spoke a bit of English and became really angry when I said I was Austrian. He claimed – this is what I understood – the Austrian government had imprisoned an Armenian scientist, unjustly of course. To calm him, I sat down on the bench with him and his friend, suggesting to google the case, in vain. Only after I read out loud all the Armenian artists/writers/poets mentioned in the Lonely Planet did they relax. Eventually the two guys suggested visiting the art gallery of Goris together. For the ignorant foreigner nothing would indicate a gallery, a treasure box as it turned out, the paintings were outstanding.
Locals showing me the Goris Gallery
The small church in Goris is like all others in Armenia, except that its outside wall was badly scratched by artillery during the war with Azerbajdan.
Goris church damaged by artillery during the war with Aserbeijan
My host family in Goris claimed that the town was spared the heavy bombing that for example Shuhsi across the border endured. Why? Because the Russian and Ukrainian pilots, who were paid US 3000, per raid, felt sorry for this scenic town and dropped their bombs into the fields outside the city.
Tatev Monastery
This monastery, near the town of Goris, sits high up on a mountain and can be reached by the longest cable car in the world. Luck had it that it was so windy that the cable car could not run that day and Khachik, my host in Goris, drove me all the way up on a horrid road. Going this way, you can stop at Devil’s Bridge, a narrow gap where the river squeezes through, but it is so narrow that you cannot see much or take any good photos.
the world’s longest cable-car down because of strong winds
In order to get a really good view of the monastery you need to drive past and a little bit further up, from there you see the whole valley, the mountain ranges in the back and the monastery, which was under renovation when I was there.
Tatjev Monastery, built 895-906
Inside Tatjev Monastery
My accommodation in Goris: Khachik’s B&B is run by a very friendly family that speaks English really well. They rent out the lower floor of their house, for 13.000 drum per night. Khachik also offers to drive tourists to Tathev (7000 Drum) and Nagoro Karabakh, a one-day excursion to Shushi and Gandazar and back to Goris cost 50.000 drum. We ended up going for several day. More about that under Nagoro Karabakh
Khachik’s daughters
Khachik’s house and car
No comments yet.