Kobayr Monastery

 monastery, interesting place, listed building / architectural heritage, Armenian Apostolic church

Kobayr (Armenian: Քոբայր) is a 12th century Armenian monastery located in the village Kober within Lori marz, Armenia. The monastery was built on a shelf of a gorge by the princes of the junior Bagratuni branch, Kyurikids in 1171. The monastery was later acquired by the Zakarids and converted into a Chalcedonian monastery. The majority of the inscriptions in the monastery are written in Georgian. Prince Shahnashah Zakarian is buried in the monastery. A bell tower in the middle of the complex was built in 1279 to house the tombs of Mkhargryel Zakarian and his wife Vaneni. The monastery is currently undergoing renovation funded by the government of Armenia with the assistance of the government of Italy. The ruins of the main church in the monastery contain frescoes of Christ and the twelve apostles as well as the Church Fathers and other Christian figures.