Echmiadzin - the spiritual center of Armenians around the world - Zvartnots

Each nation has its own holy and especially revered places. For Armenians around the world, for almost two thousand years, this place is Echmiadzin, where the patriarchal throne of the Armenian Apostolic Church is located.

Armenia is the first country in the world to adopt Christianity as a state religion. The spread of Christianity in Armenia began with the 1st century AD, when the apostles Fadei and Bartholomew came to Armenia to preach a new religion. The apostle Thadeus brought with him the tip of a spear, with which the legionary Gaius Cassius pierced the side of the crucified Christ, and the apostle Bartholomew – the image of the Virgin. For almost two centuries, the defenders of Christianity had to hide their faith, because Armenia was a pagan state at that time. Christianity as a state religion was adopted in 301. And there are many legends and legends about this, which you will learn by visiting Echmiadzin, the First Throne City of the Armenian Church. In Echmiadzin there are temples of holy virgins Hripsime and Gayan, which are masterpieces of medieval Armenian architecture. We will also visit the museum at the cathedral, where holy relics are stored - the tip of a spear, a piece of Noah's Ark, and particles of the cross, on which Christ and other equally interesting exhibits were crucified.

On the way to Echmiadzin we will visit the ruins of the temple of Zvartnots (the temple of vigilant forces) - the pearls of Armenian architecture of the 7th century, which is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The temple had an uncharacteristic for Armenia of the early Middle Ages design and was richly decorated with stone carvings. The temple of Zvartnots was a bold and unique creation for its time, the round shape of the temple and the huge size, even for our time. The height of the temple reached 54 meters. Elegant bas-reliefs decorated the walls of the temple, fragments of patterns have survived to this day.

On the territory of the temple there were household buildings, cells of monks, a bathhouse, a library, the patriarch’s palace, a wine crusher, a well. Preserved and pre-Christian monuments - Urartian stele with the inscription of the 7th century BC.

• Guide services and transport, water in the car
• If the number of tourists is more than 2, the cost of the excursion is $ 115.

Additional tickets to the Echmiadzin and Zvartnots Museum are paid - $ 10 per person