Surb Sargis Monastery, Ushi

The Monastery of Surb Sargis lies just outside the village of Ushi, on a site inhabited since prehistoric times. Once a major center of spiritual learning and a renowned pilgrimage destination, the complex measures roughly 45 by 54 meters and includes a small surviving Surb Sargis church alongside the ruins of a much larger main church. Its scattered colonnades, ornamented fragments and finely carved khachkars hint at its former grandeur. Quiet and rarely crowded, with a small picnic area nearby, Ushi rewards those who seek out lesser-known sites with a contemplative, evocative atmosphere not far from Yerevan.