Lake Sevan and the Sevanavank Monastery
Sevan is located at an altitude of 1900 m with its area of 1240 km², a depth of up to 99 m.. The water surface is azure blue. This is the second largest fresh water lake in the world, second only to Lake Titicaca.
Sevanavank is a monastery on the north-eastern shore of Lake Sevan. The complex of the buildings is located on the homonymic peninsula Sevan, which was previously a small island.
At the end of the 8th century, several monks settled on the island of Sevan, who built their cells and a chapel here. Thanks to the favorable position of the island, their number increased, and the active construction of the monastery began. The king of Armenia Ashot Iron used to live in the monastery for a while. Near the walls of the monastery, he gave battle to Arab soldiers who came to the shore of Sevan. The monks of Sevanavank also participated in the battle, who on the occasion of the victory declared it the will of Providence.
Today the monastery is active again, and, also, there is a theological seminary in it.
