Gtichavank is mentioned as the seat of a bishop starting in the 5th century. A representative from Gtichavank participated in the Armenian church council in Partaw (modern-day
Barda) in 704. After the late 8th century, the monastery enjoyed the patronage of the local rulers of
Dizak, who belonged to a branch of the
Aranshahik dynasty. The Armenian ruler
Esayi Abu-Muse had his seat at the fortress of Gtich or Ktish not far from the monastery. The primary church of the monastery was built in 1241–46 by two brothers, the bishops Sargis and Vrtanes of
Amaras Monastery, as is recorded on an inscription on the northern wall of the monastery. Sargis and Vrtanes also granted the monastery extensive lands. Gtichavank prospered in the 12th–14th centuries. In the 15th century, Gtichavank had a
scriptorium; a few of the manuscripts written there have survived to the present day. It also flourished under the meliks of Dizak, particularly during the reign of
Melik Yegan, who ruled over the region in the first half of the eighteenth century. In 1723, an abbot of Gtichavank was appointed at Meilk Yegan's request. In the 19th century, the abbot of the monastery was
Vardapet Arakel Kostandyants, who wrote a historical work about the
meliks of Karabakh which was used as a source for
Raffi's study
The Melikdoms of Khamsa. The monastery has been renovated at different times. In 1717, the dome of the main church was repaired by an inhabitant of Tugh. It was especially damaged during an earthquake in 1868. The main, domed church was damaged, and the single-nave church was destroyed. After this, Gtichavank was abandoned. During the Soviet era, the main church and the were mostly intact, although the roofs were damaged. Many visitors wrote on the interior and exterior of the complex using coal and paint. The monastery came under the control of the
breakaway Republic of Artsakh in the
First Nagorno-Karabakh War. In 2005–2007, restoration work was carried out at Gtchavank according to architect Mary Danielyan's plan. It was captured by Azerbaijan during the
2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war. == Janapar Trail ==