Jukhtak, in one of the Armenian dialects, literally means twins․ Jukhtak Vank (ջուխտ – ջուխտակ վանք / զույգ վանք) got this naming since the 11-12th centuries, according to historians. This pair of beautiful monasteries is located near Dilijan, just 3 km from the city of Dilijan.
At the beginning, I’d like to briefly highlight that to get to the Jukhtak Vank Monastery, you need to have your own SUV, and not a city jeep, as well as strong nerves and a good disposition towards sharp sensations.
Jukhtak Vank, Dilijan.
The road to the monastery is steep enough that the drive alone delivers quite an intense experience. The reward at the end is the beauty of the twin monasteries, seamlessly blending into the surrounding nature.
As I mentioned, the road was so demanding and dramatic that I forgot to film it altogether — too caught up in the moment to think about capturing it.
The monastery earned this name — Jukhtak Vank (ջուխտ – ջուխտակ վանք / զույգ վանք) — sometime in the 11th–12th centuries, according to historians.
The name Jukhtak Monastery is a folk name. Jukhtak has two churches (from which it got its name, “Jukht” meaning “pair/double”), the Church of the Holy Mother of God and the Church of St. Gregory the Illuminator. There are also inscriptions on the walls of the churches, that also mention the names Peter’s Monastery (Petros’ monastery) and Gisheravank (Գիշերավանք).
In 1973-77, the Armenian Society for the Preservation of Historical Monuments carried out some construction work in the monastery complex, in particular, the church of St. Gregory the Illuminator was reinforced with an iron structure, as well as its eastern foundation. Renovation works were also carried out in the 1980s.
And finally, my advice to travelers who want to visit the sights in the northern part of Dilijan is to do so during April-May, as the weather is most favorable during that period, unlike the summer months of July and August, when the heat and humidity are unbearable.
The story photos by Vardan Papikyan / Desuden.com
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