Route: Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin – The Treasury Of Holy Etchmiadzin – Church Of St. Hripsime – Church Of St. Gayane-Church Of Saint Shoghakat – Zvartnots Temple
Rate includes: high qualified guide service, transport services, entrance tickets to Zvartnots, in the Treasury of Etchmiadzin
Duration: 7-8 hours
Etchmiadzin is the spiritual center of Armenia. In the center is the Cathedral, built in the first years of the IV century on the place where, according to legend, Christ appeared to Gregory the Illuminator. In memory of this event, the Cathedral was named Echmiadzin — lit.: “the only begotten descended”. Of particular interest are the relics stored in Etchmiadzin: a piece of the cross on which Christ was crucified, and a fragment of Noah’s Ark.
The Cathedral is the oldest Christian Church. It was built in 303, shortly after the introduction of Christianity as the state religion in Armenia.
Church of Saint Hripsime was built in 618 and is a masterpiece of early Christian architecture. It is a slender and majestic structure, beautiful in its simplicity. In the rectangular base of the temple, four semicircular niches form a cross. Under the altar is the crypt where, according to legend, Hripsime was buried.
Church of Saint Gayane was built in 630 on the site of a fourth-century chapel and is still one of the best monuments of Armenian architecture. This is a slim, concise and strict building.
Church Shogakat was built in 1694 on the site of a fourth-century chapel. It is notable for its peculiar architecture, known as the”dome hall”.
Zvartnots temple – the most striking monument of medieval Armenian architecture-built in the VII century. Unfortunately, Zvartnots has reached our days only in ruins, completely destroyed by a powerful earthquake in the X century. But even the ruins of this temple give us an idea of its rare and majestic beauty.