During the 2026 excavations, the medieval spring of the Big Desert of Tatev Armenian monastery, mentioned by 19th-century authors, was completely revealed from under a thick layer of soil, the Scientific Research Center for Historical and Cultural Heritage (SRCHCH) reports.

The structure, which stands out with its engineering and artistic solutions, is now available to visitors.

“Even 19th-century authors, in particular Yervand Lalayan, mention the spring of the Big Desert of Tatev, the exact location of which was unknown, since most of the structures were covered with a thick layer of soil. As a result of our (Arman Nalbandyan, head of the SRCHCH expedition) excavations carried out (in 2026) based on the description of architect Murad Hasratyan, the medieval spring of the Big Desert of Tatev was discovered from under the soil layer. The latter is a rather interesting structure, both in its engineering and artistic solutions. The spring has been completely opened, and now it is accessible and visible to visitors of the Big Desert of Tatev,” reads the respective statement of the Scientific Research Center for Historical and Cultural Heritage.