Sevanavank stands on a high promontory on the northern shore of Lake Sevan, which until the mid‑20th century was a true island. The monastery was founded in 874 by Princess Mariam, daughter of Ashot Bagratuni. According to tradition, the first Christian chapel here was built already through the initiative of Saint Gregory the Illuminator, and in the 9th century Sevanavank became a fortress and educational center of the Syunik princes, with its own school and scriptorium. During the Soviet period, as a result of lowering the water level of Lake Sevan, the island turned into a peninsula, and today a panoramic view of the entire lake opens from the height of the monastery. The complex was partially restored in the 20th century and now functions as a spiritual center and a beloved pilgrimage site.