The Christian faith has been the true cement of Armenian identity, France’s TV5 Monde says, recommending to visit the country nestled among churches and monasteries.

The vast majority of churches and monasteries are in the middle of nature or at the end of an abandoned village, the feature says.

In Armenia, there are still about 40,000 khachkars which are always located near temples or in cemeteries, or are curved on the walls of monasteries, it says.

The French TV correspondents visited several churches in the country, as well as a khachkar workshop in the city of Vanadzor, where Sergey Danielyan, a graduate of the local art school, revives the ancient art.

“I have already curved five hundred khachkars, and none of them looks like the other,” said the master.