Last month I had the privilege of returning to majestic northern Lori and visit some touristic sites I hadn’t seen in several years. One of my companions, a close friend from Boston, had never been to the region, while the other chap hadn’t visited the area in decades.

Haghpat and Akhtala are two of my favorite spots in the entire country, both of them being divine architectural masterpieces. Akhtala is one of the few churches in the country where the frescoes on the interior walls are still preserved–only Samoghsavank and St. John the Baptist church down in Meghri come to mind as other examples. Haghpat was the monastery where famous troubadour Sayat Nova served.

I’ll let the images speak for themselves.