Gata is an Armenian delicacy that is more similar to local bread than to a pie. Even something as simple as this sweet pastry can have deep cultural and historical roots.
Gata is very popular in Armenia, and every family or region prepares it slightly differently. What they all have in common is the sweet filling, which consists of flour, clarified butter, sugar, vanilla, and sometimes even Armenian brandy or rum.
One of the most famous versions of gata comes from the village of Geghard, located in the Upper Azat Valley. This area is known for its monastery, which was carved into rock in the 4th century. The monastery and surrounding villages have their own unique version of gata, which is richly decorated and much larger than gata in other places. The monastery was founded at a time when Christians were persecuted and became a secret place of prayer. After the recognition of Christianity as the state religion in Armenia, the monastery became a place of free religious expression, and gata began to be associated with the “sweetness of freedom.”
Today, gata is often used as a symbol of happiness and freedom in various stages of life. It’s a tradition to bake gata for weddings and break it over the heads of the newlyweds as a symbol of blessing and happiness. Gata is often given as a gift to friends and family who are about to travel, as a symbol of good wishes and a happy return. On New Year’s Eve, gata is baked with a coin inside. If the knife touches the coin while cutting, the next year will not be lucky. On the contrary, the one who gets a piece of gata with the coin will have plenty of luck.
Traditionally, gata was prepared in a tonir oven, but now it’s baked in regular ovens. It is most commonly consumed on Candlemas (“Tiarn’ndaraj”), which occurs 40 days after Christmas in the Armenian calendar. However, you can find it year-round in Armenian bakeries and shops.
I may not have visited the village of Geghard, but I had a great opportunity to taste freshly baked gata in a specialized bakery near the Haghartsin temple. They offer this delicacy in the following varieties and prices:
- traditional – 1,000 AMD (approx. 2.40 EUR)
- apricot and thyme – 1,500 AMD (approx. 3.60 EUR)
- blueberry and lemon – 1,500 AMD (approx. 3.60 EUR)
- cheese and tarragon – 1,500 AMD (approx. 3.60 EUR)
- figs and walnuts – 2,000 AMD (approx. 4.80 EUR)
- brie cheese and apricot jam – 4 000 AMD (approx. 9.60 EUR)
What was interesting for me was especially observing the preparation of the fillings, as it’s essentially “just” flavored dough, the base of which is flour.
They bake gata in a wood-fired oven, which elevates its taste to another level. The bakery staff is also extremely friendly and willing; they happily pose for photos or even reheat the gata in the oven for you.
More information can be obtained by clicking on the map link:
The sweet gata comes in many shapes and flavors. At the Tatev monastery, I had the incredible fortune of receiving a local gata as a gift, blessed directly by Father Mikayel.
This gata was much smaller in size and if I didn’t know it was gata, I would consider it a completely different pastry.
However, you can also find gata in all supermarkets. One piece costs 250 AMD, which is approximately 0.60 EUR.
Gata is definitely a delicacy that everyone visiting Armenia should try.
Enjoy!
