Monasteries

36 places · page 1 of 2

🇦🇲 Armenia · Temple complex

Sanahin Monastery — Lori Bridge Sister

Bagratid (966 Surb Astvatsatsin 928–944 Blessing; 1063 library; 1181 gavit Kariannik) · Armenian Bagratid (Kurikyan Lori kingdom)

Sanahin UNESCO 1996 sister to Haghpat.

🇦🇲 Armenia · Temple complex

Makenyats Vank — Sevan Southeast Shore Basilica

Early medieval Bagratid (9th c. main 851? Surb Astvatsatsin 9th) · Bagratid Siunik princes 9th c.

Makenyats 9th c. excavated.

🇬🇪 Georgia · Rock-cut

Vardzia — Cave City of Queen Tamar

Georgian Golden Age (Bagrationi 1184–1213) · Georgian Orthodox (Queen Tamar, Shota Rustaveli era)

1185 Tamar's 13-level honeycomb with Church of Dormition fresco and 3.5 km aqueduct on Mtkvari gorge, Seljuk fortress.

🇧🇩 Bangladesh · Temple complex

Jagaddala Mahavihara

Late Pala (1077–1161 CE) to Sena transition · Late Pala Vajrayana (Varendra)

Last great Pala mahavihara (1077–1200 CE)—110×100 m cruciform mound, Ramapala's revival, Tibetan-cited.

🇮🇳 India · Temple complex

Satdhara

Mauryan 3rd c BCE → Sunga–Gupta 2nd c BCE–6th c CE · Mauryan → Sunga → Gupta

Sanchi's western gate — 60-stupa Halali cluster with 30 m Great Stupa and Sariputra relics (9 km W).

🇮🇳 India · Temple complex

Telhara Mahavihara

Gupta to Pala (400–1200 CE) · Gupta to Pala Buddhist (Magadha)

Xuanzang's Teladhaka—250×200 m mound, 5th–12th c continuous, 2009–14 ASI three-storey cells and Hevajra bronze.

🇦🇲 Armenia · Temple complex

Sevanavank Monastery — Peninsula Twin Churches on Sevan Rock

Bagratid (874 Princess Mariam Bagratuni Ashot I's daughter exile dedication 3 churches on island fortress after Arab rule) · Armenian Bagratid Mariam (sister of Ashot I) 874 peninsular rock fortress

Sevan 874 Mariam excavated by Arakelyan, island fort peninsula after 1930s hydropower drawdown.

🇦🇲 Armenia · Temple complex

Tatev Monastery — Vorotan Gorge Wings Aerial

Medieval (9th c. church St Paul-Peter 895–906; 11th c. Surb Astvatsatsin; Gavazan column 895) · Armenian Syunik princes medieval scriptorium (14th c. Tatev University 1373–1435)

Tatev Wings tram 5.7 km 2010, excavated Soviet, university 1373 Tatev School of lord.

🇵🇰 Pakistan · Temple complex

Mohra Moradu Monastery — Taxila Southern Annex

Kushan (300 CE) · Gandhara Buddhist

Mohra Moradu Monastery — Taxila Southern Annex in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan is a Kushan (300 CE) temple-complex attributed to Gandhara Buddhist.

🇮🇳 India · Temple complex

Vikramashila Mahavihara

Pala Period (750–1161 CE) · Pala Mahayana/Vajrayana Buddhist (Bengal)

Great Pala university (770–1200 CE)—330×330 m quadrangle, 208 cells, cruciform temple with 3-m Buddha.

🇧🇩 Bangladesh · Temple complex

Sitakot Vihara

Pala Period (late, 900–1161 CE) · Late Pala Buddhist

Late Pala (900–1100 CE) quadrangle 65×65 m with 41 cells around reused Gupta shrine, Punarbhaba floodplain.

🇪🇬 Egypt · Temple complex

Saint Catherine Monastery — Sacred Monastery of Sinai

Byzantine to Present (Justinian–continuous) · Byzantine Greek Orthodox / Bedouin Jebeleya

Saint Catherine Monastery (548–565 CE Justinian I) is world's oldest continuously operating Christian monastery at 1585 m foot of Mount Sinai intra Wadi el-Deir.

🇪🇹 Ethiopia · Temple complex

Lake Tana Monasteries — Island Churches

Medieval Solomonic to Gondarine (1313–1748 CE) · Ethiopian Orthodox / Solomonic / Amhara-Tigray

Lake Tana (3,000 km², source of Blue Nile) hosts 37 medieval island and peninsula monasteries (14th–17th c) with circular thatched churches, vivid murals and parchment libraries.

🇦🇲 Armenia · Temple complex

Goshavank Monastery — Mkhitar Gosh Law Code Khachkar

Zakarian (1196 Gergol by Mkhitar Gosh; Surb Astvatsatsin 1191–96 with gavit 1203) · Zakarian medieval university (Mkhitar Gosh 1130–1213 law Datastanagirk code author, 13th c. Goshavank school)

Goshavank excavated Soviet, Mkhitar Gosh 1196 law code university, lace khachkar famous.

🇪🇬 Egypt · Temple complex

Marsa Alam Monastery? Actually Wadi Feiran — Sinai Oasis Monastery

Byzantine (4th–7th c. CE) · Byzantine Christian (Feiran is biblical Rephidim)

Marsa Alam Monastery? Actually Wadi Feiran — Sinai Oasis Monastery in South Sinai, Egypt is a Byzantine (4th–7th c. CE) temple-complex attributed to Byzantine Christian (Feiran is biblical Rephidim).

🇦🇲 Armenia · Temple complex

Kecharis Monastery — Tsakhkadzor Ski Hill Dome Ensemble

Pahlavuni-Bagratid (11th c. St Gregory 1033 Prince Grigor Magistros, Katoghike 1201) · Pahlavuni princes (Grigor Magistros founder 1033 including 12th c. Zakarian addition)

Kecharis excavated by Soviet, Pahlavuni 1033 Prince Grigor Magistros.

🇦🇲 Armenia · Temple complex

Kobayr Monastery — Lori Cliff-Hanging Two-Storey Narthex

Zakarian (1171 Kobayr main Surb Astvatsatsin Mariam, 1279 chapel of Honents sister) · Armenian Zakarian → Georgian Chalcedonian hybrid after 1223?

Kobayr fresco monastery excavated by Soviet, 1279 Honents church replica nearby.

🇦🇲 Armenia · Temple complex

Haghartsin Monastery — Dilijan Forest Three Churches Enclosed

Bagratid-Zakarian (10th c. St Gregory 10th; 1184 Surb Astvatsatsin 1248 with gavit) · Bagratid → Zakarian (10th–13th c.) Armenian

Haghartsin forest 10th–13th excavated 1990–2010.

🇦🇲 Armenia · Temple complex

Haghpat Monastery — Lori Gorge Scriptoir

Bagratid (976–991 church Surb Nshan, Hamid 1185, 13th c. bell tower) · Armenian Bagratid to Zakarian (10th–13th c.)

Haghpat excavated Soviet, UNESCO 1996 with Sanahin pair.

🇦🇲 Armenia · Temple complex

Havuts Tar Monastery — Dual Hill Forest Refuge

Early Medieval to late Medieval (10th–13th c.; main St Amenaprkich 1013, Surb Karapet 13th) · Bagratid-Zakarian 1013–13th forest monastery

Havuts Tar 1013 burnt 2017 Khosrov fire damaged.

🇦🇲 Armenia · Temple complex

Aghjots Vank — Garni Gorge Wilderness Isolated Dome

Medieval (13th c. Aghjots Surb Stepanos 13th c., Zakarian era) · Zakarian 13th c. small wilderness monastery

Aghjots isolated excavated by Khosrov reserve.

🇮🇳 India · Temple complex

Odantapuri Mahavihara

Pala Period (730–1161 CE) · Pala Mahayana/Vajrayana (Magadha)

First Pala mahavihara (730–1200 CE)—180×150 m hillock quadrangle, model for Samye (Tibet).

🇧🇩 Bangladesh · Temple complex

Halud Vihara

Pala Period (750–1161 CE) · Pala Buddhist (Mahayana/Vajrayana)

9th-c Pala cruciform brick vihara 70×70 m with 33 cells, Somapura-type, on Barind Tract near Paharpur.

🇦🇲 Armenia · Temple complex

Akhtala Monastery — Fortress Copper Mining Fresco Manor

Bagratid Kyurikian (10th c. fortress Pghndzahank Prince Gurgen 1188 church; fresco 1205–16 Byzantine; Armenian-Georgian) · Kyurikian branch of Bagratid (David Gareji) with Georgian Chalcedonian fresco after 1220

Akhtala fresco excavated by Soviet, copper fortress with fresco Byzantine-Georgian.

Notable monasteries