The Garni Gorge is situated 23 km east of

Yerevan Yerevan ( , , hy, Երևան , sometimes spelled Erevan) is the capital and largest city of Armenia and one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities. Situated along the Hrazdan River, Yerevan is the administrative, cultural, and ...

Armenia Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia.The UNbr>classification of world regions places Armenia in Western Asia; the CIA World Factbook , , and ...

, just below the village of the same name. On a promontory above the gorge the first-century AD

Temple of Garni The Temple of Garni ( hy, Գառնիի տաճար, ''Gaṙnii tačar'') is the only standing Greco-Roman colonnaded building in Armenia and the former Soviet Union. Built in the Ionic order, it is located in the village of Garni, in central A ...

may be seen. Along the sides of the gorge are cliff walls of well-preserved

basalt Basalt (; ) is an aphanitic (fine-grained) extrusive igneous rock formed from the rapid cooling of low-viscosity lava rich in magnesium and iron (mafic lava) exposed at or very near the surface of a rocky planet or moon. More than 90% of a ...

columns, carved out by the

Goght River Goght ( hy, Գողթ; formerly Goghot) is a village in the Kotayk Province of Armenia, located on the right bank of the upper- Azat River. It is known from 13th-century manuscripts as Goghot. It is located near Garni and sits along the road lead ...

. This portion of the Garni Gorge is typically referred to as the "Symphony of the Stones." It is most easily reached via a road that leads left down the gorge just before reaching the temple of Garni. Another road leads to the gorge through the village, down a cobblestone road, and into the valley. Once in the valley, turning right will lead to Garni Gorge, an 11th-century medieval bridge, and the "Symphony of the Stones". Taking a left will lead along the river past a fish hatchery, up to the Khosrov Forest State Reserve, and a little further Havuts Tar Monastery.

Gallery

Sinfonía de las Piedras, valle de Garni, Armenia, 2016-10-02, DD 16.jpg, Example of basalt columns ("Symphony of the Stones") along Garni gorge Sinfonía de las Piedras, valle de Garni, Armenia, 2016-10-02, DD 34.jpg, The stones Río Azat, valle de Garni, Armenia, 2016-10-02, DD 27-29 HDR.jpg, Garni valley Río Azat, valle de Garni, Armenia, 2016-10-02, DD 37-39 HDR.jpg, Garni stream Քարերի սիմֆոնիա, Գառնի.jpg, Symmpony of stones

References

External links

Armenian Wiki Encyclopedia on Garni Gorge
Landforms of Armenia Columnar basalts Volcanoes of Armenia Geography of Kotayk Province Tourist attractions in Kotayk Province Canyons and gorges of Europe {{Armenia-geo-stub