A group of international travellers touring Garabagh and East Zangezur, led by Charles Veley, founder of the renowned Most Traveled People (MTP) club, visited the Ganjasar Monastery Complex in Vangli village of the Aghdara district.

The delegation, which includes 40 travellers from 13 countries, explored the monastery grounds and learned about the historic site.

The Ganjasar Monastery Complex, located near Vangli village in Aghdara district, on the right bank of the Khachinchay River, is protected by the state as an architectural monument of world significance under a relevant resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan.

The main church of the monastery complex was constructed between 1216 and 1238 on the initiative of Prince Hasan Jalal Dawla of Khachin, while the foundation of the adjoining narthex was laid in 1266. For a long period, Ganjasar served as an important religious center of the Caucasian Albanian Catholicosate and functioned as its seat until 1836.

The complex comprises the main church, narthex, fortified walls, monastic cells, and residential and utility buildings. The cross-domed main church features rich carved ornamentation, bas-reliefs, and epigraphic inscriptions.

During the period of occupation from 1993 to 2023, unauthorized restoration and reconstruction work was carried out on the complex. According to documented findings, serious interventions altered the monument’s historical setting and architectural features. These included relocating 286 graves; covering the protective walls with modern stone slabs; replacing doors and windows in the narthex and main church; and altering the flooring, altar, and decorative features. The monument’s historical setting was further affected by the construction of new administrative and seminary buildings around the complex.