The Akhtala monastery is located near the eponymous town on a high mountain ledge.

Akhtala was founded in the X century as a defensive structure. Until around the XIV century was called Pinza-hanok, which translated means "copper mine". In XI century the citadel Akhtala was an important strategic point of the Kingdom of Curtido. The inscription on the cross-stone says about building in 1188 the Church of the blessed virgin Mary the daughter of the ruler of Tashir-Dzoraget the cons remind those Mariam.

In XIII century the owners of Akhtala steel Zakaryan. After a while it became the largest chalcedonicum monastery and cultural center of Northern Armenia. In XIV century the name "Penza-Hank disappeared from historical sources. At about the 30-ies of the XIV century the monastery became part of Otelskoy metropolis of the Catholicos of Mtskheta. In the first half of the XV century for the first time in written sources it is mentioned a village called Akhtala, which is the property of the Georgian Catholicos.

In the beginning of XVIII century the monastery of Akhtala came to a complete desolation. In 1801, the Russian Emperor Alexander I issued a decree on the transformation of the monastery in the center of the Greek Orthodox Church in Transcaucasia. Today is the most important place of pilgrimage of the Greeks. Every year on 21 September, they arrive in Akhtala, to mark the feast of the Nativity of the virgin.

The main temple is Surb Astvatsatsin Church, built in the XIII century Each side of the temple is decorated with traditional Georgian ornaments. The walls of the Church of the Holy virgin cover is gorgeous, well-preserved murals, and only the face of the virgin carved by the hordes of Tamerlane. In the conch can be seen sitting on a throne, the virgin with Child, a little below the belt with the Eucharist and two rows of figures of saints. On the Eastern, southern and Northern walls of the transept depicts scenes from the life of Christ and the virgin Mary, saints and martyrs, on the Western wall is the last Judgment, and in a room in the South-Western part of the Church presents the history of the prophet Elijah and John the Baptist.

In addition to the main Church in the monastery is a small chapel of St. Basil and the ruins of the two storey residential building.