Areni (; formerly
Arpa) is a village in the
Vayots Dzor Province of
Armenia. It is best known for its wine production, although the majority of wine produced locally is from the nearby village of
Getap. The church of
S. Astvatsatsin is a single-nave two-aisled domed Armenian church completed in the year 1321, and is located atop a
plateau overlooking the
Arpa River and Areni. It was designed by the architect and sculptor
Momik Vardpet who is best known for his high-relief carvings at the monastery of
Noravank (located approximately 6 kilometers southeast from Areni). Nearby are also the 13th century ruins of lord Tarsaitch Orbelian of
Syunik's palace, moved from
Yeghegis to Areni during that time. Ruins of a 13th-century bridge built by Bishop Sarkis in 1265-1287 are one kilometer northeast of the church. At the same location are the remains of an older bridge.