While the main chapel was built in 1215, the monastery complex was founded in the 4th century by Gregory the Illuminator at the site of a sacred spring inside a cave. The monastery had thus been originally named Ayrivank (Այրիվանք), meaning "the Monastery of the Cave". The name commonly used for the monastery today, Geghard, or more fully Geghardavank (Գեղարդավանք), meaning "the Monastery of the Spear", originates from the spear which had wounded Jesus at the Crucifixion, allegedly brought to Armenia by Apostle Jude, called here Thaddeus, and stored amongst many other relics. Now it is displayed in the Echmiadzin treasury.
Klášter Geghard (arménsky: Գեղարդ) je architektonicky unikátní klášter v Arménii. Klášter byl založen již ve 3. století, hlavní kaple však byla vystavěna až v roce 1215. Přilehlé údolí Azat tvoří další dominantu celé krajiny. Číst dál
