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Lori marz Guide
64 pages

Lori is one of Armenia’s most enchanting regions, second perhaps (perhaps) only to Siunik for its stunning landscapes and rugged forests. Lori is also home to some of Armenia’s most beautiful locations, set into the country’s remaining old-growth forests and wilderness areas. The region is host to two World Heritage Sites: the Monasteries of Haghpat and Sanahin, plus numerous other monasteries and churches along the Dzoraget, Pambak and Debed River gorges, forest complexes unlike any other in the country.

The region is first and foremost a place of forests, in the North and East covering mountains of Lejan, Lalvar, Shogiol and Chatin, with their plunging valleys and sheer cliffs on the Debed, Pambak and Dzoraget Rivers. In the west the mountains are a contrast of rock and tree, its meadows hosting wild flowers, farms and the only known habitat for the Armenian water lily. In the south, the mountains are a little higher, nearer to Mt. Aragats, the winters harsher. In the North the forests and valleys cradle a unique environment that, while higher in altitude than Yerevan, is milder and more pleasant.

The ancient history of Lori may be as old as Ararat, the forests and rivers supporting humans from the stone Age. Settlements have been dated to around 7000 BCE, though the dating is from the Soviet period when nothing could be older than Russia. The forests and rivers supported a type of culture and design unlike others in the country, and traditional wooden homes are as ubiquitous as stone structures, esp. in the north. The Bronze Age was especially evolved, the findings especially rich at places like Lori Berd and Vanadzor.

The medieval history of the region was shaped by the changing fortunes of the Bagratuni, Zakarian and Orbelian ruling families, as well as that of the Seljuk empire and the resurgent kingdom of Georgia. Part of the Bagratuni Gugark region, the area revolved around its capital Lori (Berd), founded in 989 by David Anhoghin. The region developed its cities and monasteries into cultural centers rivaling all others, including some of the first universities in Europe and two of the world’s great architectural treasures, Haghpat and Sanahin.

The capital of the region is Vanadzor, Armenia’s third city and a good stopping point for exploring the region. Other towns with stay over possibilities are Stepanavan and Alaverdi. Lying on the major trade route to Georgia and the Black Sea, Lori is also dotted with a number of roadside food stands, cafes and guest venues.

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