The approach to Noravank is part of the experience. A narrow road follows the Amaghu gorge between walls of ochre and red limestone, and the monastery appears only at the last moment, on a terrace where the canyon opens out, its stone almost the same colour as the cliffs behind it. The site is dominated by the church of Surb Astvatsatsin, the Holy Mother of God, an unusual two-storey building: a burial chamber below, a chapel above, and access to the upper level by two flights of narrow steps cantilevered directly from the west facade, with no rail and no visible support. Climbing them is a deliberate act of ascent, and the design has no real equivalent in the region. The carved decoration is equally celebrated. Sculpted tympana over the doorways, with figures worked in high relief, and finely cut cross-stones are traditionally associated with the sculptor and illuminator Momik, active at the site in the medieval period. Filmed in 4K, with aerial passes along the gorge and late light on the red rock, the programme suits strands on sacred sites, medieval art and the landscapes of the Caucasus.
