The monastery was entirely rebuilt by lord Smbat of the House of Orbelian, a branch of the Liparitids who were expelled to Armenia in the late 12th century from Georgia. Liparitids were themselves a branch of the Mamikonians. Smbat was the ancestor of the Armenian princes of Syunik. A Georgian inscription around the drum attests his name.
The monastery has a gavit and various service buildings scattered around the site.
The government of Armenia has recently begun renovating the monastery, removing much of the historical context of the original structure. The collapsed dome of the main church has been restored entirely.