Tatev Monastery, Armenia, 8th century
This impressive monastery in Armenia has been around for a thousand years, and it still catches the attention of architecture lovers from all around the world. Not only has it endured an epic history that's just as dramatic as its hilltop setting, but it has survived destructive earthquakes as well.
This ancient, yet legendary monastery, would often get ransacked but even that massive earthquake, which shook things up a few centuries later, failed to bring it down. Legend has it that the curious name of the monastery, nestled amid clifftops, was given by the mighty Father - "Tatev" means "little star."
This impressive monastery in Armenia has been around for a thousand years, and it still catches the attention of architecture lovers from all around the world. Not only has it endured an epic history that's just as dramatic as its hilltop setting, but it has survived destructive earthquakes as well.
This ancient, yet legendary monastery, would often get ransacked but even that massive earthquake, which shook things up a few centuries later, failed to bring it down. Legend has it that the curious name of the monastery, nestled amid clifftops, was given by the mighty Father - "Tatev" means "little star."