| VardenisThe town of Vardenis occupies the southeast corner of Gegharkunik province of the Republic of Armenia. The town is located in the valley of the Masrik river, on the territory of the Masrik artesian basin. Vardenis is 170 km from the capital Yerevan, and 75 km away from the provincial center of Gavar. The administrative territory of Vardenis comprises 3006ha, of which 736ha is occupied by the town itself. Vardenis got its urban status in 1995.
Vardenis is located on the slopes of 82 km range of Vardenis Mountains. The highest peak, also named Vardenis, is 3522m. Vardenis is 5 km away from Lake Sevan and it is directly affected by its proximity.
Vardenis is one of the oldest settlements in Armenia. The town and its vicinities are rich in cultural heritage, there are 568 recorded monuments. The most interesting are Makenats monastery, basilica in Sotk, chapels of Ayrk, Karchaghbyur, as well as numerous other chapels, tombs of 3-1 millenia BC, Cyclopean masonry, and khachkars. In the center of Vardenis, there is church of Surb Astvatsatsin (Holy Mary), built in 1905, where Armenian historian Hovhannes Tsaretsi worked. The church is surrounded with numerous khachkars dating from between the 14th and the 17th century.
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