Armenia Travel Blog

Armenia and Georgia has an unsolved border dispute, which arose because of the medieval Armenian monastery Khorakert, dated XII – XIII centuries and located on the border between Armenia and Georgia. The monastery is in the list of specially protected objects of Armenia together with other 24,000 historical and cultural monuments. 

The dispute arose at the revision of the Armenian-Georgian border map. It was found out that 6 km south-west from Djiliza village, situated in the Lori region of Armenia, the Armenian monastery remains within the Georgian borders. The problem was passed to the Armenian-Georgian intergovernmental committee, but was not solved for a long time.

Armenian organization, studying architecture of Armenian memorials, RAA, has submitted to the parties a historical document – the border map of 1929. According to the map, the border between Armenia and Georgia is totally different than on later maps of the Stalin’s time. According to the map, the Khorakert monastery was located on the territory of the Eastern Armenia. It is situated in the forest on the western slope of the Lalvar mountain. The main church of Khorakert was errected in 1260 and has a cupola hall. The vestibule was built in 1252 by Stepanos, the son of some Hovanes Karnetsi.  

A few kilometers from Khorakert there’s another medieval Armenian temple, Khuchap monastery, also dated XIII century. It is situated near the border village Privolnoe of the Lori region of Armenia. During the remapping, the Khorakert’s destiny was awaiting for this monastery, situated between Privolnoe and Akhkerpi village, earlier inhabited by Armenians, but the problem was solved: Armenia and Georgia have managed to come to the mutual agreement to leave the Khuchap monastery within the Armenian borders. The official Yerevan has given yet no comment to this decision.

There are many unsolved border disputes and problems with cultural monuments of one country within borders of another in Transcaucasia. There are many Armenian temples on the territory of Georgia and Azerbaijan, which are in a very poor condition. 35% of the Gerogian – Azerbaijanian border is still not agreed upon, including the well-known David Garedji Georgian monastery complex.

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