Karahundj (Armenia's Stonehenge)
Karahundj (Armenia's Stonehenge)
4.5
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.5
155 reviews
Excellent
95
Very good
41
Average
18
Poor
0
Terrible
1
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Лола Раевских
16 contributions
Jul 2024 • Friends
This place is magical. Not fully understood. Various analyses and studies of the stones by scientists indicate that the structure is at least 3,500 years old. Impressive, of course. You can see that in some places excavations are under way and this place still has a lot of interesting melting. The tourists were upset when they filmed their ticktocks bouncing around the rocks, but we yelled at them and they even apologized. A place like this lacks cameras and security. The locals seem to underestimate this megalithic complex. Fence the grounds and, of course, the cameras. A six-foot-tall guy sitting on a huge rock with a rooster is a clear omission on the part of the administration. For a minute, radiocarbon analysis of this complex suggests it's older than Stone Henge. Anyway, security would have to be considered.
Automatically translated
Written 23 July 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JGDynamo
Canada2,084 contributions
Jun 2017 • Friends
Karahundj is Armenia’s Stonehenge but if the dating is correct then maybe England’s Stonehenge should really be called England’s Karahundj. Having visited Stonehenge earlier this year we thought this would be a lame copy of it but it is superior in many ways.
Firstly it really is still a mystery as how they got here and how they were used, so many theories.
Secondly: there are holes in each menhir.
Thirdly: 99% fewer babbling tourists taking selfies.
Fourth: no motorway running by 100m away.
Fifth: The Petroglyphs.
Sixth: Free, just the effort to get there
Seven: You can walk right up to them instead of being 100ft away behind a rope.
The only point I would say Stonehenge has over Karahundj is that this one needs more information available even it is just about the theories of why and how they are here. Even so, it is a great mystery in a stunning setting, very worthwhile.
Firstly it really is still a mystery as how they got here and how they were used, so many theories.
Secondly: there are holes in each menhir.
Thirdly: 99% fewer babbling tourists taking selfies.
Fourth: no motorway running by 100m away.
Fifth: The Petroglyphs.
Sixth: Free, just the effort to get there
Seven: You can walk right up to them instead of being 100ft away behind a rope.
The only point I would say Stonehenge has over Karahundj is that this one needs more information available even it is just about the theories of why and how they are here. Even so, it is a great mystery in a stunning setting, very worthwhile.
Written 10 July 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alisa Amirbekyan
Yerevan, Armenia105 contributions
Jul 2017 • Couples
Ancient archaeological site close to the city of Sisan in the Syuniq province of Armenia. According to researchers, Zorats Karer could be among the world's oldest astronomical observatories, and is at least 3,500 years older than British Stonehenge. Many of the stones were damaged over time. The stones are basalt, somewhat protected by moss but smoothed by the rain and wind and full of holes and erosion. Many people continue to visit the site searching for answers related to astronomy, they bring telescopes, and choose the dates which are the best to observe planets, the moon, and stars. It seems that the site of the Zorast Karer remains to this day a perfect place to observe the sky.
Written 6 April 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
cw f
Brasschaat, Belgium184 contributions
May 2017 • Couples
More than 200 stones have been erected in a long gone prehistorical time to form among them a circle and two rows. Many megaliths standing alone nearby. The origin is still not known: an astronomical observatory ?
Written 23 June 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
snellvillegirl
S30052nellville Ga.1,649 contributions
Jul 2014 • Couples
We drove there with a rented 4 wheel drive car. Across the main street is a restoration project of some of the most wonderful petroglyphs in Armenia. We note bus after van after bus going to Karahundj and not ONE stopped on the left before turning right on the road to the "Armenia Stonehenge." Not one stopped as they left...those tourists missed something wonderful, and that is why we do not do groups. I found the petroglyphs exciting and wonderful. but first I will review the stonehenge. Dating about 1,500 years after the British Stonehenge, The Armenian one meanders down a long path and it is a lovely walk among the wildflowers. I tried to stop and sight each stone that had a hole to see where in the sky it was focused. many were on the horizon. They have a little gift shop that had some of the best tee shirts in Armenia. It was declared in 2000 to be "the Worlds Oldest Observatory" but others had other ideas. There is mounting evidence that it was in fact a necropolis (Graveyard) from the Middle Bronze age to the Iron Age. The stones were actually part of city walls. Another researcher has tied it to a temple and university with an observatory, dedicated to the Armenian Sun God Ari. He claims it from around 7600 to 4500 BC. Another theory is that some of its' stones are laid out like the constellation Cygnus . Either way you want to think of it, it is a lovely, mysterious place. My photos will speak for themselves BUT PLEASE VISIT ACROSS THE STREET to see the petroglyphs!! it is directly across the gravel road to Karahundji. They are arranged in a circle and have a large stone written in Armenian explaining them... There is a sign near by them that reads ARTLABORATORY 'EPICENTER' PRIVATE TERRITORY KEEP CLEAN. The drawings are beautiful and like those found in many other ancient places in the world. The stones are placed in a circle with a large stone by itself on a little hill behind it with, I am sure, more information carved into it. I found them to be beautiful primitive art. Both place highly recommended, but if you go with a guide please request both sites!!
Written 15 September 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
KsenijaCalifornia
California92 contributions
Jun 2013 • Couples
Even if you are not into prehistoric stones this is a great diversion from the many Monastery visits in Armenia. It was a challenge for us to find it driving on our own as we were following the Lonely Planet directions and went to the town of Sisian first, which you will have to do if you use public transport.The better approach by car to the site is from the main road just passing the town towards Goris. It has a sign for Zorats Karer. Do note that the site is also refered to as Karahunj which is further confusing the independent traveller as there is a village by the same name located just south of Goris that has nothing whatsover to do with Zorats Karer.
Whatever the true meaning of the stones was (defense, grave site or astronomy) the windswept undulating plain and the edge of a small gorge with the remnants of the stones, many with holes on the top is powerful and stark beauty. Some claim it to be Armenian Stonehenge but it reminded us more of Newgrange or Dowth and Knowth in Ireland or even the Carnac stones in France.
Whatever the true meaning of the stones was (defense, grave site or astronomy) the windswept undulating plain and the edge of a small gorge with the remnants of the stones, many with holes on the top is powerful and stark beauty. Some claim it to be Armenian Stonehenge but it reminded us more of Newgrange or Dowth and Knowth in Ireland or even the Carnac stones in France.
Written 25 June 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sergey Y
Yerevan, Armenia31 contributions
Jul 2018 • Family
Karahundj or Armenian Stonehenge a certain place to visit in Armenia. Massive rocks being an observatory of more than 5000 years old. Hard rocks are drilled so smooth and precise and very close to the edge, which would be hard to reperform even with modern tools. This raises a lot of questions about our history.
Written 29 July 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mirko Spino
Ravenna, Italy352 contributions
Aug 2017
True. This is probably the Armenian Stonehenge, but without a good explanation it remain only "some rock well placed". The surrounding is beautiful and it seems always very windy
Written 7 August 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
N.T.
Yerevan, Armenia273 contributions
Jul 2017 • Business
Special place, the must for guests. Several versions of identity), observatory or semitary or aliens travel stop or bee line... you are touching history of humankind here thats for sure.
Written 20 July 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Timothy T
Houston, TX374 contributions
May 2017 • Friends
It may not seem like much, but there is so much more to Karahundj than a pile of stones in a pretty design. First, this place predated the observatories in France and in the British Isles. The calculations and conclusions made from this are truly astounding for peoples 7000 years ago. As incredible as this place is, it is not developed. To call the path leading to it a "road" is a glorification. There is a souvenir shop that looks half abandoned and restrooms are nowhere to be found. In addition, there is little information in the site itself. Without a tour guide, this incredible place would go unnoticed.
Written 19 May 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi, I would like to know about the human figure carved on one stone of the site, which is similar to the figures found on the pottery of Aruchlo and Imiris Didi Gora sites dating to Neolithic in Georgia.
Written 21 June 2018
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