The world’s First Christian Country

Excursion to Etchmiadzin Cathedral, St. Hripsime Church, St. Shoghakat Church, St. Gayane Church, the ruins of the Zvartnots Temple

4. Etchmiadzin Cathedral

The Etchmiadzin Cathedral is the spiritual and administrative center of the Armenian Apostolic Church located in Etchmiadzin. Here is the cathedral, which according to the description of Gregory the Illuminator, was based on the place where Christ descended from heaven and pointed to the spot for a church to be built. The cathedral was built by Grigor the Illuminator and King Trdat in 303. It is a sacred place of pilgrimage for Armenians all over the world and the residence of the Catholicos of all Armenians.

Historical monuments, museums, libraries and the cathedral itself represent the centuries-long history of Armenia, exceptional values ​​of literature and art, treasures of spiritual culture.

5. The Temple of St. Hripsime

Another attraction in Etchmiadzin is the temple of St. Hripsime. It is an improved and enhanced type of cross-shaped central-domed church in Armenia. The temple is distinguished by the simplicity and majesty of architectural forms. It was founded in 618 by the Catholicos Komitas A. Aghtsetsi. Before the church was constructed, Hripsime Virgin's burial vault existed here.

6. Church of St. Shoghakat

The Church of St. Shogakat is a small beautiful architectural monument. It is included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.  It is the newest construction of the Etchmiadzin architectural complex. The church was built in 1694 by Prince Agamal Soroteci in the western part of the Hripsime monastery.

Shogakat means “the drop of light”. The church is a single-nave domed basilica, erected on the remains of a 6th-century basilica. It is built with red and black tufa stones during the period of Catholicos Nahabed I. 

7. The Church of Saint Gayane

Not far from the Etchmiatsin Cathedral on the background of white peaks of Ararat you can see the church of St. Gayane. The church is a three-nave domed basilica with an octagonal drum resting on four internal pillars. The design of St. Gayane remained unchanged in spite of partial renovations. It was built on the site of the grave of the Virgin Gayane, who was tortured for the spread of Christianity in Armenia.

8. Temple of Zvartnots

This temple is the result of the skill and courage of the architects of Armenia of the 7th century. This three-story structure was built only on several columns and stood only 300 years. As a result of excavations in the early 20th century, the famous architect Toros Toramanyan presented the restoration model of Zvartnots. Few people could admit it, because it was difficult to believe that this construction could be built in the 7th century. At that time one of the bas-relieves of St. Chapelle church in Paris came to prove Toramanyan's version; the bas-relief depicts Zvartnots temple with Noah's Ark and it looks like the model represented by the architect.