The Monastery of Sanahin is situated on the wooded mountain slope of Mt. Tchantinler above the village of Sanahin, in the region of Alaverdi, Republic of Armenia (approx. coord. 41-42 / 44-02). The monastery is also 2 km southeast of the town of Alaverdi. The oldest references to the monastery were found in early 10th century Armenian manuscripts and relate that the monastery was constructed over the ruins of a 4th or 5th century church. The complex consists of several buildings which date from different periods: the larger church of S.Amenaprkitch (Holy Redeemer), the smaller, adjacent church of S.Astvatsatsin and its gavit, the round chapel of S.Gregory, an academy, a bell tower and a library.

An invasion by the Mongolians in 1235 is cited as a cause for the general decline of monastic life and the subsequent decay of the monastery itself. It was during this and other invasions that much of the
monastery was destroyed, including the living quarters of the monks, the church of S. James, a 10th century gavit, a caravanserai and the Tomb of the Kiurikian.