To the east of Goris in an area of volcanic pillars and canyons soft enough to carve, yet strong enough to support for ages, many dwellings in stone came to be. One of the most spectacular is surely the cave city of Khndzoresk. Protected from a steep canyon diving down to the southwest and high incline terrain to the north, inhabitants of ancient eastern Armenia constructed hundreds of dwellings in the cliffs, often connected together via ladders, ropes and narrow trails. Due to its remote location and hidden nature, it is unsure when the first dwellings were built, but the first written record dates them all the way back to the 13th century. Upwards of 10,000 inhabitants lived side by side here, along with their livestock, a truly remarkable testament to mankind’s ingenuity. They were a complete town with churches, which can be seen today, and schools and shops.

Even more astonishing is the fact they were inhabited up the 1950’s. During the Soviet rule of Armenia, the Russians deemed the caves uncivilized, forcing all the inhabitants to leave. Khndzoresk lies abandoned ever since. Recently, curious visitors have begun to explore the city with upwards of 1,800 caves documented. A long suspension bridge now spans across the steep gorge, opening up Khndzoresk to the outside world as never before. Khndzoresk is a unique glimpse into a way of life not seen anymore, worthy of the effort to reach.