Individual/ ZVARTNOTS TEMPLE, ECHMIADZIN TOWN

Zvartnots Temple (7th c)

Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin (4th c)

Surb Hripsime Church (7th c)

Surb Gayane Church (4th-7th c)

Surb Shoghakat Church  (17 c)

The Surb Mariam Astvatsatsin Church (18th c)

The Targmanchats Monastery (7th c)

We will start our tour visiting the «Zvartnots» Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve. The complex consists of a temple and secular buildings (the Catholicos palace, utility rooms, a bathhouse, a wine press, a well). The ruins of a single-nave church of the 5th century (altar, baptistery, etc.) have also been preserved in the southeastern part of the temple complex.

The Zvartnots Cathedral was built by Catholicos Nerses Tayetsi in 643-652. The Armenian historians have mentioned the construction of the Zvartnots Cathedral since the 7th century. The first information about the temple was provided by the 7th century historian Sebeos; he is the only historian, who calls the temple the «Zvartnots» Cathedral; other historians refer to it as the Surb Grigor Cathedral. According to Sebeos, the temple was built in honor of the celestial zvartuns (angels), or the heavenly army, who appeared to Saint Gregory in a dream. Historians believe that the temple was destroyed by the Tajiks (Arabs). However, according to some researchers, an earthquake was the cause of the temple’s destruction. After the destruction, the temple was buried under a layer of soil for centuries and turned into a hill. It was cleared of the centuries-old layer of soil only at the beginning of the 20th century.

We will continue our journey and visit Etchmiadzin city. Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin is the spiritual center of the whole Armenian people, its holy of holies. It occupies an exceptional place in the national-spiritual and cultural life of the Armenian people. No other national "treasure" has played and plays such an important role as Holy Etchmiadzin. The Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin has been subjected to all the same trials as the Armenian people throughout the centuries. The Cathedral was built by Gregory the Illuminator in accordance with a vision he had, according to which the Only Begotten Son of God descended from heaven and struck the earth with a golden hammer, indicating the place where the Cathedral should be built. The construction of the Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin was completed in 303.

The Surb Hripsime Church is located in the north-eastern part of Etchmiadzin city. It was erected in the area of the martyrdom of saint Hripsime and her 32 friends. According to Agatangeghos, here in 301 Trdat III the Great, his sister Khosrovidukht and Queen Ashkhen erected a chapel and a tomb in the area indicated by Gregory the Illuminator.

            In 395, Sahak Partev restored the chapel of Surb Hripsime destroyed by the Persian king Shapuh. According to Sebeos, a historian of the 7th century, in 618, Catholicos Komitas I Akhtsetsi demolished the chapel, which he considered to be low and dark, and in its place built the church of Surb Hripsime from hewn tuff, which stands up today. It is a central-domed structure, thanks to its perfect architecture, it can be called the best sample of churches which later received the name of Hripsime-shaped. The churches of Surb Hovhannes in Avan, Tsiranavor Surb Nshan in Aramus, Surb Astvatsatsin in Artsvaberd, Surb Khach of the Akhtamar Monastery and other churches are among them.

Surb Gayane Church is located in the southern part of Etchmiadzin city, it was erected in the area of the martyrdom of saint Gayane and her two associates. According to Agatangehos, here in 301, as a result of the efforts made by Gregory the Illuminator, the royal family represented by Trdat the Great built a chapel. The chapel of Surb Gayane was turned into ruins by the Persian king Shapukh and later restored by Sahak Partev.

In 630, Yezr I demolished the chapel and built the Surb Gayane Church of hewn tuff in its place. The church is a four-column domed basilica, the tomb of the saint is located under the main altar.

Then we will visit the Surb Shoghakat Church. According to a legend, the church was built in the area, where one of the virgins, whose name was unknown, was killed, and where a ray of light “fell on a virgin-martyr” (in translation from Armenian “shoghakat” means "a ray of light fell"). The construction was erected by Prince Aghamal Shorotetsi in 1694 under the Catholicos Nahapet in the area of a chapel of IV century.

The Surb Mariam Astvatsatsin Church is located in the central part of Echmiadzin. It was built in 1767 during the reign of the blessed memory of the Catholicos of All Armenians Simeon Yerevantsi.

The last point of the tour is the Targmanchats Monastery (the 7th century). It is similar to the same name monastery built in Aramus in the 7th century. The church was the center of writing, many manuscripts were copied here. Local residents, associating the church with the name of the creator of Armenian alphabet M. Mashtots, called it Mesropavank.

Departure: 11:00

Arrival: 19:00

Departure place: Hakob Hakobyan 1 str./ near Mergelyan Institute

• • Price for 1 person: 40000 AMD
  • Price for 2-3 persons: 25000 AMD 
  • Price for 4-10 persons: 20000 AMD
  • Price for 11-20 persons: 10000 AMD
  • Price for 21-30 persons: 7000 AMD