Harichavank occupies a spur of rock at the edge of a ravine in Shirak, in western Armenia, in a landscape of stone, wind and long horizons. It is among the older monastic foundations of the country, and its interest lies in the way successive periods are visible side by side within one enclosure. A small early church stands close to the cliff, compact and almost unornamented. Beside it rises a larger medieval church whose drum is encircled by slender blind arcading and whose facades carry sculpted detail, along with the vaulted gavit that precedes it. Later monastic ranges and a seminary building complete the site, giving it the appearance of a small fortified village. The stone itself is part of the story. Cut from local volcanic rock, it takes colour from the light and changes tone through the day, from pale grey to warm ochre. Cross-stones set into walls and standing in the yard carry the interlace ornament characteristic of Armenian carving. Filmed in 4K, with aerial views that show the site's dramatic position above the gorge, the programme suits strands on sacred sites, medieval architecture and the Caucasus.
