Goris

Weather and climate

Winter

3°

Spring

14°

Summer

24°

Autumn

12°

Goris is a city in the Syunik region, in the south of Armenia. It is the second largest city in the region and one of the most ancient cities of Armenia, which attracts tourists with its historical and medieval sights. There are few sights in Goris, but each of them is particularly impressive and worth special attention.

Goris is surrounded by rocks, which locals call the "Goris Stone Forest". The stones create a whole composition shaped like  pyramids, columns and towers. Depending on the angle of the sun rays falling onto the rocks, an array of beautiful and completely different views opens to the city from this area. TThe forest, which looks like a stone maze, can be the beginning of your journey through Goris or a pleasant conclusion to it . There are also ancient cave dwellings, an archaeological and ethnographic museum, and other ancient monuments in the city and its surroundings.

Historical sights

One of the historical sights of Goris is located a few kilometers from the city, it is one of the oldest caravanserais in Armenia - “Kotrats” (translated from Armenian as «Broken”).

Another place to visit here is  the Cathedral Church of St. Grigor Lusavorich (Gregory the Illuminator). In Soviet times, the church did not function.  Until 1960, the building was used as a geological museum and granary, but in 1989, the church reopened. It  is the residence of Abraam Mkrtchyan, the head of the Syunik Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church. Also in Goris, there are ruins of churches and cemeteries of the XVIII-XIX centuries, and cave houses.

Hiking

A great view of the city and its historical sights opens at the entrance to the town near the “Zangezur” sculpture. However, the main historical sight to reach is the amazing stone forest of columns, towers and pyramids.

Culture

If you want to learn more about Armenian literature, you must be sure to visit the Museum of Axel Bakunts — an Armenian novelist, screenwriter, translator and activist, who was killed during the Great Purge (Stalin’s repressions) in 1937. 

Axel Bakunts was a very interesting person, always as frank as possible. is first publication was a satirical story about the mayor of Goris. Bakunts was a volunteer in the battles of Kars, Erzurum and Sardarapat. The museum of Axel Bakunts was opened only in the second half of the XX century in the house where the poet was born and raised . His personal belongings and scientific materials are exhibited there.