Suspension bridge in the cave city of Khndzoresk

On Yandex maps and Google maps .

We spent the night in the town of Goris. Winter returned at night, and everything was covered with snow. In the morning, the snowfall continued:

We decided to continue the route and set off. When we turned from the asphalt road onto a dirt road, it became difficult to distinguish the edges of the road. At some point, we decided to turn back, as we were afraid of getting stuck in the middle of nowhere. We even turned around (which was also scary—I constantly feared getting stuck in the snow). Just as we turned, a minibus with tourists drove past us. We decided to take the risk and continue the journey. We turned around again and went further.

The locals looked at us:

And went about their business:

We reached the suspension bridge. To get to it, you have to go down a wooden staircase.

At first, I was a bit upset because of the fog. But it turned out to be unnecessary. Visibility was, of course, worse than on a clear day. But the thick fog added mystery. Because of it, details appeared gradually. And the silence.

The bridge is 160 meters long and 63 meters high.

Interestingly, the bridge was not built by the state, but by a local resident, Zhora Aleksanyan, with his own money in 2012 in memory of his parents. The bridge was built without machinery. Only after construction was it inspected and approved for use.

The effect of the construction turned out to be greater than expected. After the bridge appeared, many tourists began visiting the cave city. Before the bridge, one had to walk about 5 kilometers through the gorge, but the bridge allows it in just a few minutes.

From the middle of the bridge, the dark openings of caves and remains of buildings are already visible.

Khndzoresk was founded about 3,000 years ago (though the exact founding period is unknown). Initially, people lived in caves carved into the mountain. Later, houses began to be built in front of these caves. The roofs of some houses served as terraces for the houses located higher up the slope.

People lived in the cave city until the 1960s. Then residents moved up to the top. Because “a Soviet person shouldn’t live in caves.” And also because it became difficult to deliver goods by car.

The city stretched about 3 kilometers. There were about 5,000 caves, of which around 2,000 were homes. There were 5 schools and 2 post offices.

In the middle of the cave rooms, a tandir (locally called tonir) has been preserved. It was used for cooking and heating.

Houses had rear cave rooms. In front of them, stone houses were built. The roofs of some houses served as terraces for the higher ones. In the 1960s, the houses in front of caves were dismantled, moved, and rebuilt on top of the mountain. In the cave city itself, only caves and some remains of structures remained.

Because of the snow and fog, the atmosphere was fairytale-like. Silence and beauty!

The cloudiness changes very quickly. Now the bridge is fully visible, and the view from it opens further:

The church has been preserved and still functions to this day:

One cave house has been preserved in its original form. A local, Sevada, gives tours there. He was born and lived in Khndzoresk for 5 years. Sevada told us interesting facts about the bridge and Khndzoresk. In the preserved cave house, there is an original moonshine still that still works. Sevada’s homemade product can be bought right there!

In summer, Khndzoresk looks different.

Because there are many tall trees in the gorge, the height is not felt so strongly.

Green trees create a cozy atmosphere. On the other hand, they block the view of the whole slope, so the scale of the village is not as noticeable.

If you go down a little, you can find the spring “Inn Manuk” (or “Nine Infants”). There is such a legend: Once enemies attacked Khndzoresk, and women fought alongside the men. Sona died in battle, leaving her nine children orphans. Sona’s father, to immortalize his daughter’s memory, carved a spring in the shape of a woman’s breast. The water flowing between them symbolizes mother’s milk or women’s tears.

The church has an eco-roof and eco-walls!

You can walk along the route and climb the mountain.

To enjoy the views.

And see the bridge from above.

I saw a nightingale live for the first time :-)

To return to the top, you need to climb 527 steps.

In winter, it felt more atmospheric. In summer, it’s worth planning a whole day for a walk with a picnic. I think it will be very beautiful in spring when the fruit trees bloom. Highly recommended for a visit.

10 March 2024, 21 June 2024