Cathedral and Churches of Echmiatsin and the Archaeological Site of Zvartnots
Outstanding examples of Armenian church design and its influence over the region
Echmiatsin Cathedral (2000) by Cathedral and Churches of Echmiatsin and the Archaeological Site of ZvartnotsUNESCO World Heritage
Mother Cathedral of Echmiatsin
Located in the Armavir province of Armenia, the Echmiatsin Cathedral is often considered to be the oldest cathedral in the world. It was built in the early 4th century, following Armenia’s adoption of Christianity as a state religion.
A pilgrimage site (2000) by Cathedral and Churches of Echmiatsin and the Archaeological Site of ZvartnotsUNESCO World Heritage
The cathedral at Echmiatsin is deemed by Armenians Christians from around the world to be their utmost sacred place and is regarded as being a very important pilgrimage site, making it one of the most visited places in the country.
Over the course of the centuries, the Cathedral has held a key political and cultural role, as well as religious.
Cathedral of Echmiatsin (2000) by Cathedral and Churches of Echmiatsin and the Archaeological Site of ZvartnotsUNESCO World Heritage
The settlement has existed since ancient times and the Cathedral was built on the site of a pagan temple between the years 301 and 303 by King Trdat III and Saint Gregory the Illuminator.
Ceiling (2000) by Cathedral and Churches of Echmiatsin and the Archaeological Site of ZvartnotsUNESCO World Heritage
The cathedral is distinguished from other Armenian churches by its original paintings of interior frescoes.
Frescoes (2000) by Cathedral and Churches of Echmiatsin and the Archaeological Site of ZvartnotsUNESCO World Heritage
From 1712 to 1721 Naghash Hovnatan worked there (the paintings on the upper part of the dome and the Holy Mother of God painted on the internal marble of the main apse are preserved).
The altar (2000) by Cathedral and Churches of Echmiatsin and the Archaeological Site of ZvartnotsUNESCO World Heritage
Today, the Cathedral has a cruciform plan with four projecting polygonal apses and a central cupola supported by four pillars.
Gates (2000) by Cathedral and Churches of Echmiatsin and the Archaeological Site of ZvartnotsUNESCO World Heritage
The Cathedral is recognised as being of great architectural value, and represents the outstanding contribution of Armenian ecclesiastical architecture to Christian architecture as a whole.
St Gayane Church (2000) by Cathedral and Churches of Echmiatsin and the Archaeological Site of ZvartnotsUNESCO World Heritage
St Gayane Church
Situated within walking distance of the Echmiatsin Cathedral, Saint Gayane Church was built in AD 630. The church was named ‘’Gayane’’ after an abbess who, along with other nuns, was martyred by King Tiridates III of Amenia. The church stands on the site where she was tortured and martyred.
Side view of the St Gayane Church (2000) by Cathedral and Churches of Echmiatsin and the Archaeological Site of ZvartnotsUNESCO World Heritage
The building is the earliest and, indeed, one of the best examples in early Christian and Armenian architecture to combine a three-nave basilica with a central dome. This form later became popular in Western Asia.
St Gayane Church architecture (2000) by Cathedral and Churches of Echmiatsin and the Archaeological Site of ZvartnotsUNESCO World Heritage
The exterior of the church differs from its interior in that it has a cruciform-plan gable roof with the dome placed central to the main structure.
St Hripsime Church (2000) by Cathedral and Churches of Echmiatsin and the Archaeological Site of ZvartnotsUNESCO World Heritage
St Hripsime Church
This church was built in the 7th century on the site of the mausoleum which contained the remains of the martyred Saint Hripsime, after whom the church is named.
The church is considered to be a gem of Armenian architecture and a model of the austere beauty of early Armenian ecclesiastical architecture, thanks to its fine Armenian-style architecture of the classical period. Its form had a great impact on the design of future Armenian churches.
St Hripsime Church architecture (2000) by Cathedral and Churches of Echmiatsin and the Archaeological Site of ZvartnotsUNESCO World Heritage
The plan is classified as a complicated variation of the cruciform ground-plan, due to its domed tetraconch enclosed in a rectangle, and the two angular niches on opposite sides.
Shoghakat Church (2000) by Cathedral and Churches of Echmiatsin and the Archaeological Site of ZvartnotsUNESCO World Heritage
Shoghakat Church
Shoghakat Church was built in 1694 on the site of the 4th-century chapel where the “ray of light was dropped” upon Christian Hripsime’s martyrs.
The brown tuff church is famous for its unique architecture which consists of a domed, single-nave basilica with a semi-circular eastern apse flanked on either side by narrow chapels.
Temple of Zvartnots (2000) by Cathedral and Churches of Echmiatsin and the Archaeological Site of ZvartnotsUNESCO World Heritage
Archeological Site of Zvartnots
Built in the middle of the 7th century, the temple of Zvartnots was considered to be a masterpiece of Armenian architecture.
Remains of Zvartnots (2000) by Cathedral and Churches of Echmiatsin and the Archaeological Site of ZvartnotsUNESCO World Heritage
Zvartnots was built at a time when much of Armenia had been occupied by the early Muslim Arabs who had recently invaded the country. Dedicated to St. Gregory, it was built where a meeting between King Trdat III and Gregory the Illuminator had supposedly taken place.
Zvartnots from Above (2000) by Cathedral and Churches of Echmiatsin and the Archaeological Site of ZvartnotsUNESCO World Heritage
Zvartnots remained standing until the end of the 10th century, but historical sources are silent as to the cause of its collapse. The most common explanation is an earthquake, though the building was well engineered and designed to last 1,000 years.
Excavations have uncovered traces of large fires at the site, perhaps signs of an earlier attempt to destroy the church.
Mount Ararat and the remains (2000) by Cathedral and Churches of Echmiatsin and the Archaeological Site of ZvartnotsUNESCO World Heritage
Most historians believe that the building had three floors. The interior of the mosaic-decorated church had the shape of a Greek cross, or tetraconch, with an aisle encircling this area, while the exterior was a 32-sided polygon which appeared circular from a distance.
Columns (2000) by Cathedral and Churches of Echmiatsin and the Archaeological Site of ZvartnotsUNESCO World Heritage
The Cathedral and Churches of Echmiatsin and the Archaeological Site of Zvartnots were inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2000 under the criteria (ii) and (iii).
Zvartnots architecture (2000) by Cathedral and Churches of Echmiatsin and the Archaeological Site of ZvartnotsUNESCO World Heritage
Criterion (ii): The developments in ecclesiastical architecture represented in an outstanding manner by the churches at Echmiatsin and the archaeological site of Zvartnots had a profound influence on church design over a wide region.
Criterion (iii): The churches at Echmiatsin and the archaeological site of Zvartnots vividly depict both the spirituality and the innovatory artistic achievement of the Armenian Church from its foundation.
This exhibit was created by the Tourism Committee, Ministry of Economy of Armenia: https://armenia.travel/en
More on the Cathedral and Churches of Echmiatsin and the Archaeological Site of Zvartnots and World Heritage: whc.unesco.org/en/list/1011
Photos: Armenia Travel
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