Karmravor Church

The church Karmravor (St. Astvatsatsin - Holy Mother) is located in the city of Ashtarak of Aragatsotn Marz (region). This cruciform central-plan domed church was built by the priests Grigor and Manas, in the 7th century. The roof of the church Karmravor is of red (karmir) tiles, but its name has a different origin. According to the legend, three sisters living in Ashtarak fell in love with young man Sargis. In favor of the youngest one, the two elder sisters decided to sacrifice themselves. One wearing an apricot (tsiranaguyn) dress and the other red (karmir) dress threw themselves into a gorge. Finding the sisters dead, the youngest sister put on a white (spitak) dress and also threw herself into a gorge. After sisters' death, brokenhearted Sargis became a hermit... The three small churches - Karmravor (red), Tsiranavor (apricot hue) and Spitakavor (white) appeared at the edge of the gorge. There is another common version of the origin of the name of churches. It is said that the scarf of Maryam Virgin is white in one of the frescoes of the church Spitakavor (white), and in the churches Karmravor (red) and Tsiranavor (apricot), respectively, red and apricot. The construction and other various inscriptions have preserved on the walls of the church.