Noratus Cemetery is a medieval cemetery located in the village of Noratus, in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia. It is home to the largest collection of khachkars, with almost a thousand of these intricately carved memorial stones spread over a seven-hectare field. The cemetery contains khachkars dating back to the late 10th century, with unique ornamentation and carvings. According to a popular folk tale, the villagers once dressed the khachkars in clothes, helmets, and leaned swords against them to scare away the invading army of Tamerlane. The cemetery is a significant cultural and historical site, with many of the khachkars covered in moss and lichen. Visitors can explore the cemetery and see the intricate carvings and ornamentation on the khachkars, making it a fascinating place to visit for families and history enthusiasts
Plan your family visit to the Noratus Cemetery with these blog insights 👇
Activities: We strolled through the cemeteries to decipher the bas-reliefs on the tombs and admire the Kachkars. We saw hundreds of them and each one is unique
Highlights: The children enjoyed admiring the Kachkars. These are very old, and the most beautiful ones date from the Middle Ages. The kids were fascinated by the many unique stones ✨