Just 30 minutes outside of Yerevan lies the historic town of Ashtarak. Perched right on the edge of a deep river canyon, you will find a beautiful old ruin called Spitakavor Church. It is a peaceful place where history meets a famous local legend.
According to the story, three sisters long ago fell in love with the same prince. To let the youngest sister be happy, the two older sisters jumped into the canyon wearing red and orange dresses. Heartbroken, the youngest sister wore a white dress and jumped after them. The sad prince then built three churches along the canyon edge to match the colors of their dresses. Spitakavor means the "White Church" in honor of the youngest sister.
Today, Spitakavor is a beautiful stone shell without a roof, built hundreds of years ago. Walking inside feels like stepping into a quiet, open-air room where the ceiling is just the blue sky. If you look through the old stone windows, you can see a fantastic view of the river rushing through the canyon far below.
The best part is that you can easily walk to all three color-coded churches—Red, Orange, and White—in less than twenty minutes through the quiet streets of the old town. Try to visit in the late afternoon when the setting sun lights up the ancient stones and makes the canyon look magical.
