ancient ruins
Garni Temple
The only standing Greco-Roman colonnaded temple in the former Soviet Union, a 1st-century pagan shrine overlooking the dramatic Azat River gorge.
17 km · about 20 min drive
AsiaArmeniaYerevan
Avan
Yerevan, Armenia · Asia
About Avan
Avan is worth a stop: 10 minutes from Ptghni, 53km from Lake Sevan.
Avan is in Yerevan, Armenia, with about 59,000 people. The nearest town is Ptghni, about 5 km away.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Avan?
Within an hour or so of Avan: Garni Temple (17 km), Zvartnots Cathedral (21 km), Geghard Monastery (22 km), Amberd Fortress (36 km).
Are there any good drives near Avan?
The nearest famous roads are Orbelian's Caravanserai (Vardenyats Pass).
Where is Avan?
Avan is in Yerevan, Armenia, about 5 km from Ptghni.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 58,800
- Continent
- Asia
- Country
- Armenia
- Region
- Yerevan
- Timezone
- Asia/Yerevan
- Coordinates
- 40.2144, 44.5785
Tags
Worth the detour from Avan
6 notable places within an hour's drive.
ancient ruins
Zvartnots Cathedral
Haunting ring of 7th-century columns from a collapsed circular cathedral, framed by Mount Ararat on the Yerevan–Etchmiadzin road; a UNESCO World Heritage ruin.
21 km · about 25 min drive
landmark
Geghard Monastery
A UNESCO partially rock-cut medieval monastery with extraordinary acoustics, said to house the spear that pierced Christ's side at the crucifixion.
22 km · about 25 min drive
castle
Amberd Fortress
A 7th-century fortress with an 11th-century church on a triangular spur at 2,300m on the slopes of Mount Aragats, wedged between two river gorges. Ruined by the Mongols in 1236 and never rebuilt.
36 km · about 40 min drive
landmark
Khor Virap
An iconic Armenian monastery at the foot of Mount Ararat where Gregory the Illuminator was imprisoned for 13 years, offering the most famous view of Ararat.
37 km · about 45 min drive
natural wonder
Lake Sevan
The Jewel of Armenia, one of the largest high-altitude freshwater lakes in the world at 1,900 meters with the medieval Sevanavank Monastery on its peninsula.
53 km · about 60 min drive
Driving roads near Avan
- 63 kmOrbelian's Caravanserai (Vardenyats Pass)Best-preserved caravanserai in Armenia, built in 1332 at the 2,410 m Vardenyats (Selim) Pass on the Silk Road: the hairpin climb between Yeghegnadzor and Lake Sevan is a classic drive.
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