There is a small cave shrine called Tsaghkevank (flower monastery) dedicated to Saint Barbara on the southern slopes of Mount Ara. The cave has a small spring in it, which waters according to numerous accounts are revered as healing.
The road leading to the mountain is decent for the most part. But, It gets gradually worse when you reach the foot of the mountain, and from there on, it’s pretty much non-existent.
Some entrepreneurial locals from the nearby village offer off-road vehicle services with their Russian UAZ’s right before the road turns into a carnival ride.
Considering that I nearly bottomed out my car several times during the ascent, I will most likely use their services next time we visit the place.
We went there on a hot afternoon, on the first day of July. Coming from the city, the fresh mountain air was very refreshing.
I wish there was a practical way of bringing some of it back with us to the city.
Fortunately, however, there is a convenient way to bring back views of the place, and I didn’t forget to grab my camera. So, here are some of the shots I managed to take.
